Past, Present and Future
by KuroiAzarashi
Summary: A new coalition has placed Tallest Red's life in danger. Is Purple an innocent like he claims or part of the plot against his fellow ruler? Read and find out! R&R pleaze! Finally This is the end! The Epilogue is now up! Thankyou for all your reviews!
1. Chapter 1

I dedicate this fanfic to all those who helped me work on it and especially Aliet Faslami, who lent me Ivy and the Student/Soldier thingy. If you haven't read her fics go, go and read them now!

Thanks to my buddy Ice Dragon for the paper clip suggestion.

On to the story, and don't forget to review! ^-^

AN#1: a cycle is equivalent to ten earth years...

AN#2: Those who want to know more about Ivy I suggest reading Jade Eyes, by Aliet Faslami.

Purple gazed out into the heavy Irken night thinking about the rebellion. And then, mainly about what the Student class was planning and it made his antennae fall, showing his fear. It made him sick and Red's shouts of conquest over the "inferior" races of the galaxy weren't helping his mood. 

There had been talks of assassination among the Students-something that no Irken had thought of for at least three hundred cycles. Such primitive thinking was supposed to be below their superior race, but it wasn't.

"Hey Red?" Not taking his violet eyes away from the silvery moons he waited a moment. "Red?" Only after ten minutes had gone by did he walk, not hover, down the hall into his fellow Tallest's bright red room. Only half of the other Irken's body could be seen from where it stuck out from under his bed and Purple raised a would-be eyebrow in silent question.

"Ah ha! I found you!" Red crawled out of the dusty pit holding a shiny paperclip in his slender fingers. "I've been looking for this for days!" The flimsy metal bent in his grasp as he sat on the edge of his bed, shaping it into one thing or another quickly before his attention span became completely non-existent.

"Red?" Purple repeated again, this time very forcefully.

"What?" Crimson eyes narrowed in concentration as purple ones closed.

"If I told you that you could die tomorrow, what would you do?" He waited patiently for an answer and, receiving none, opened his eyes, staring with a loathing hatred at the paperclip, that was now shaped into a crude model of a voot runner. The Soldier was flying it around making little engine noises. Purple realized, with malice, that he had probably maintained his fellow Irken's attention for the first three words, and even then, maybe only his name. Showing anger that surprised even the soldier, Purple grabbed the paperclip/voot runner and flung it out an open window, vaporizing it with a laser grabbed from Red's arsenal before it hit the ground.

"Ooooh, nice shot Pur." He applauded lightly. "You didn't shoot yourself in the eye that time."

"Red, pay attention!" He calmed down remembering the other occupant who resided in the complex. "This is really important, please listen to me." The tone took on a pleading quality. "The Students, they're planning to further the rebellion. They're even willing to take it as far as going after your life." Purple swallowed, lowering his antennae even further. "They want you gone." Red stared for a minute then laughed.

"That's crazy! It hasn't been done for," He began counting, ticking the numbers off on his fingers, "a really long time!"

"Tok aman des, Mazae!" The only word out of the shouted sentence Red knew was his name, it was in the old tongue, and he stared, wondering what the Irken scholar had just told him to do. Being a member of the military he recognized an order when he heard one, modern or not.

"What...did you say?" Red asked slowly not wanting to annoy Purple further. It took a lot to anger the generally calm Tallest and now he was furious, though a bit curious as to why Red had asked what he just said...oh, now he knew.

"I said listen now or something like that, but anyway," he crossed his thin arms, "will you listen now?" Red nodded.

"The Students, not all of them, just the ones running the remaining coalition, have decided to do away with what they can't change; namely you." He put his head in his hands, antennae twitching with anxiety. "They don't trust the soldiers anymore; Tallest or not they will stop at nothing to get what they want." The red-eye was dumbstruck. So it was true.

"But, but we're beyond this, this, thing! Aren't we?" He stuttered. "I thought we did away with that, that sort of stuff." They sat in silence for a while and Red finally spoke, suddenly wary of the Irken he thought of as a best friend, though it had not always been so. "You aren't in this too, are you?" He asked softly, almost inaudibly. Purple stood straight, hurt evident in his deep eyes.

"I understand your suspicions but no, I'm not, never will be either." And Red believed him; instantly berating himself for even thinking Pur could do something like that.

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Their conversation was cut short however when Ivy entered the room. She had grown quite tall, still well under the Tallests though, for her young age and immediately lessened the tension between Red and Purple, even after they noted the fear in her green eyes and her antennae slick to her head.

"What's wrong Ivy-tam?" The familiar nickname calmed her some and the curly appendages lifted a tad.

"I, I had a bad dream." Whispering she came to stand between Red and Purple, giving them each a hug. "And I heard you both talking, about the rebellion." She hugged Red tighter. "Is Red in trouble again Pur?" The serene Tallest leaned down next to his student.

"No, and I won't let anything happen to Red either, 'kay Ivy-tam?" He brushed an antenna softly and the young female glowed under the attention. Until Red became serious.

"You need to go back to bed now, kay Vee?" Showing affection had never been one of the soldier's strong points but he wasn't that bad, at least around Vee. "Tomorrow I'll show you the bati staves." 

"Night Pur, and by the way, that wasn't a very nice thing to say about Reddy!" Grinning meekly with suppressed happiness Ivy practically ran to her room, the bati staves were her favorite. The two leaders watched her go with apprehension. What would happen to Ivy? Was she considered neutral or a threat, being taught by a Soldier as well as a Student?

"What was she talking about Purple? What did you really say?" Purple waved a hand, determined to not let red digress away from the problem at hand.

"It wasn't important." Red wasn't convinced.

"One of these days I'm going to learn that stuff."

"Oh please Red, you don't have the attention span or patience for that. You'd end up blowing up the books or something." He laughed lightly. "And besides, you're much more suited to weapons and things." At the mention of weapons the two suddenly stopped talking. "I told security."

"Why'd you do that! I would have found out sooner or later, spies and thingies are keeping tabs on the coalition! Security will put you in containment for a while, you know that right?" A soft sigh escaped Purple's lips. 

"Yeah, I know and I'm not looking forward to it either, but I swear I had nothing to do with it."

"I believe you. You're just not the type for something like that." Purple looked up, forlorn expression gracing his tired features.

"I didn't think the Students were either." Draping a long arm about his friend's shoulders Red steered the Tallest scholar into his room, the somber purple tones brightening its namesake's face.

"It won't be long, it's only for security measures, until you're off the stupid suspect list thingy. Maybe I'll come with you."

"Then who'd rule the planet?"

"Maybe I won't come with you."

"It won't matter that I'm Tallest in there. For the time being I'm a traitor to the Empire." Red glanced back over his shoulder before leaving.

"I'll look into it. If they hurt you or something you won't see them again, ever. Get some sleep, you look beat and I'll see you in the morning." His only response was a nod. Purple didn't know how on Irk Red could be so calm. Students were after his blood and it didn't seem to faze him at all, but then again they were just Students. Purple couldn't help being a bit offended at that. He was just as brave as the next Irken, why on their second mission he...

Purple, ever the opposite of Red was now turning into a nervous wreck. 

As candidates for Tallests he and Red had become partners, knowing each other from almost as far back as the "cold, unfeeling robot arm." They hadn't always been friends but that had changed soon after their second mission together. Purple couldn't bear the thought of losing his best friend without feeling nauseas. Slumped in a chair his eyelids slowly closed and he drifted off into a fitful sleep full of nightmares and shadows of the past.

Hope I didn't bore you too much. A second chapter will be out soon if it's wanted. Thanks to all the peoples that read it and please review, they're so fun to read! ^-^ 


	2. Chapter 2

Since I'm so glad people like the first chapter, I've decided to write another one. ^-^

Teal was one of my grandmother's favorite colors, hence the eyes, and I play alto sax so I chose high alto for the voice.

Beware of the dog and flashbacks of how the two Tallests became...um...friends!

Thanks go out to those who gave me ideas...onward with the story! And if you still haven't read Aliet Faslami's work I will wait patiently until you do so. Go do that now...elevator music...okay, on with the show, er, story!

Apologies to Aliet if I mess up Ivy's possibly known existence to the populous of Irk.

"Are we tired of being repressed?" The high-alto voice rang out above the crowd of Students and hundreds answered it, shouting in unison: Yes! "Should we take a stand?" The deep teal eyes were narrowed, demanding answers in favor to the cause. Again the masses shouted yes. "Down with Tallest Red!" The multitude repeated it, over and over like a deadly mantra while the speaker stepped off the podium to stand next to a golden-eyed female.

"It went well, Ju-Tian." She said in a soft voice. "And we have at least one hundred new members to add to the rebellion. That brings the total up to at least seven hundred associates, probably more." He wrapped an arm around her.

"Next we'll see to Purple. Perhaps he will join our cause. What do you think Nijai?" The slight female shook her head.

"No, I've seen how much Tallest Purple favors that _Soldier._" The word dripped with hatred and her curly antennae spread to the sides revealing even more distaste. "Anyway, he has already revealed the plan to Red, it would not do good to show ourselves while he is under guard..." she noticed her partner's disappointment, "but I will look into it, Purple would be a great addition to the cause."

"Good, you do that while I check out the new recruits. No Soldiers right? We all remember what happened last time that kind was involved."

"No Soldiers, I made sure of it myself." She watched his retreating form. 

Ju-Tian Di was tall as Irkens go, standing a lanky three feet two inches, but not tall enough to notice. The natural grace he had and his knack for communication enabled him to play the people to his favor, he told them what they wanted to hear and they ate it up. As of now it was gaining Student rights, their class had been without them long enough. Things had gotten so bad that the young Students, some just out of the nurseries, would fear assault from the other half. Ju couldn't stand that any more, his own student who he had loved like a daughter...

"Sir?" A timid, young orange-eye by the name of Tegin asked softly. Ju-Tian waited patiently for him to continue. "Sir, Miss Nijai has found something."

"Oh?" Teal eyes widened with interest and his antennae pricked forward. "What?"

"A student learning under both Purple and Red."

Purple massaged the bruise on his forehead gingerly, staring at the dingy walls of his prison cell. He had been thrown in, gently of course, not long after dawn and they simply weren't made to accommodate his Tallest size.

"Red will take care of this." The reassuring words sounded small in the confining space and Purple tugged at the new clothing that had replaced his Tallest issue "dress". The Student ensemble included a purple shirt for his eye color and black pants laced with violet designs that tapered into black boots. Black, elbow-length gloves replaced the bulky gauntlets and he tugged at them, long fingers worrying the thick material. A loud tap on the heavy door made Purple jump and Ivy's green eyes peered into the cell.

"I don't care what you say! Pur wouldn't do this!" The scholar winced as Red yelled at the guards, it reminded him of-

"Pur! How are you?" Ivy jumped happily. "What happened to your head?" Purple got up, leaning forward to avoid any more injuries, and walked to the bars.

"I'm all right Ivy-tam, but Red doesn't seem to be." The green-eyed young one nodded.

"He's been angry for hours." They both stopped and listened to the heated shouts:

"Get out of my sight before I cut our head off! You're lucky I'm in a good mood or you'd be dead already!" They heard a hurried "yes sir" and the patter of little feet scurrying away. "Stupid short things." Red said blandly, opening the cell door. "So, how've you been?" He asked in a cheery voice. "What happened to your head?"

"I smacked it on the door coming in and I'm fine." The Soldier ran a strong hand over the walls while Ivy attached herself to Purple's legs.

"You got new clothes." The Short One acknowledged.

"Have, I have new clothes." Purple admonished half-heartedly. Red's half-lidded eyes narrowed as he wiped the thick, gray dust of his fingers.

"When are you coming back?" Ivy asked, ignoring the grammar correction, while Purple sat down heavily. 

"It will be awhile until I can get out of here." Throwing a glance at his fellow ruler the Student sighed. "You really shouldn't be here, either of you." Red shrugged.

"Why not Pur?" Ivy wondered, while Red cut in.

"You shouldn't be here either, but you are."

"This isn't the time to get all stubborn Red. Right now I'm a traitor to the empire." The Soldier kneeled beside Ivy.

"Go back to the complex 'kay, I'll be there in a few, and, um," he was forgetting something, "oh, and be careful." Sad violet eyes watched her go. "I don't want her involved with this."

"Why the sudden streak of protectiveness? You don't trust me?" Purple was upset, all this tension and time to actually think about something other then ruling a nation, or curly fries, had given him a chance to remember his past. One he didn't want to recall. And now Ivy was gone, he missed her, a lot...what if he was never released and was...he would never see Ivy again...

"No..." The Soldier began. "I just-"

"You just what? Want her to become naive just like I was?" Truth dawned on Red, after a moment, or seven, of thought.

"Purple that was years ago," Red spoke in an annoyed voice, "why are you bringing it up now?" He thought for a second. "You think... you know I'd never hurt anyone like I did back then, don't you?"

"Yeah, but what about...? If she doesn't learn...what if...?" He couldn't form a coherent sentence. "You have a temper you know..." Red turned back before closing the door.

"I won't do anything to her, or anyone else, no matter how angry I get, I swear by the first Tallest. We'll get this thingy all straightened out by tomorrow."

"Sure." The red-eye waved a hand and disappeared, the sound of his swishing skirts and talk of nachos or something entertaining, like paperclips, gradually faded. "Geesh, it was amazing he even focused on the cell for over two minutes..." The scholar murmured to himself.

Through the little window in his small room Purple could see the first moon beginning to rise and the stars filling the sky. It would have been beautiful save for the bars cutting everything to pieces. Suddenly a wave of fatigue hit Purple and forced him to curl up on a small cot and attempt sleep. In his exhausted condition though, it really wasn't that hard...

(AN: Confused yet?)

*** And we have a flashback! ^-^ ***

"Code name Purple!" The tinny voice of the commanding officer ordered the young "Tallest in training" to the front. "You will be assigned to Planet # 37.5 of sector 3, home of the dangerous...people, departure time: immediately!" Purple knew that Planet. A small, dusty chunk of dirt floating around in the middle of nowhere. He wondered slightly why Tallest Vin would even want such a place. Not worth a whole number, it even orbited a dying sun. But then again, the almighty Tallest was a Soldier. 

"Mother of Irk," He mumbled, "I have to stop thinking like that." Meekly, the young scholar stepped to the side to be assigned an Invader number. As a Student and a candidate for Tallest he had to become well-rounded in everything-including battle on dangerous Planets. Yet the Soldiers didn't have to study books and ancient text, they were considered _above _it.

The whole affair made him sick, even though it was his second mission. He was supposed to be studying or even teaching another Student! Not risking his life on some dust bowl planet with a bunch of dimwitted Soldiers!

A SIR unit strolled up to him and handed Purple a small card, pointing to a hallway numbered with a large nine. Purple glanced at the paper as the robot proceeded on to the next Soldier. He would be the only Student on this expedition...

Name: Purple

Rank: Intelligence

Regiment #: 9

#: 286

Planet:# 37.5 sector 3

Tugging at the Invader issue uniform Purple made his way slowly to gate nine. He had been in this regiment the other time and it hadn't been a walk in the park. He would be the only Student and would probably be beaten up, again. Maybe if he was lucky the other Tallest candidate wouldn't be there...

"Whoa!" None other then the other Tallest candidate shoved Purple roughly to the floor. In the bright artificial lighting of the hallway the Student could see the bright crimson eyes of his foe.

"Hey buddy!" The red-eye said with sarcastic liveliness. "Looks like we're in the same regiment again!" He grinned with evil malice as Purple got up and dusted himself off. "Aw, come on, you're not still mad about last time, are you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Ruby...er...whatever your name is." The Soldier narrowed flaming eyes and gripped Purple's arm tightly as he was walking away, stopping him.

"Its. Red." He said flatly and knocked Purple to the ground again Stalking away, and stepping on the fallen Irken in the process, towards some of his Soldier friends he called over his shoulder forebodingly: "Don't forget it."

Isn't Red mean? But don't worry Red lovers, he might improve.

How was this chapter, sorry I left it off there but I couldn't think of anymore to write. Maybe the next chapter will be longer, maybe it will be shorter, but if you want me to stop just say the word and I won't post anymore... *sniff* But I hope you liked it. It may turn out to be a very complicated story with lots of inner part-y things...

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

I've just noticed that I haven't any disclaimers: so here's one now-

I don't own Invader Zim, never have, and never will. I do however own Ju, Nijai, Tegin and any other characters, 'cept Ivy- she's AF's, that you do not recognize.

Um, and cycles (ten years on earth) are just going to be Irken years, makes things easier. ^-^

Thanks for reading and reviewing peoples!

A flicker of gold reflected off two eyes as Nijai Mahaleem stole through the dark alleyways towards the huge Tallest complex. She would be focusing only on the lower cells this night, but as a staff member she wouldn't have to worry too much, she hoped. Nijai wasn't sure how much the security had upgraded but if Purple was in that prison then it had to be a lot, she would have to be careful. The main problem, aside from being arrested, would be anyone not affiliated with the rebellion catching her as she conversed with the Student Tallest.

"I am only the messenger." She told herself, "There is nothing to worry about." A nagging voice in her head told her otherwise.

_"What if you're caught, or Purple reveals you?"_ It asked. _"You will be tortured for information and killed. This is a_ _Tallest_ we're talking about here." Nijai chose to ignore it, it would only make the job harder. 

And then there was Ivy. She had just learned about the Student/Soldier combination. It was unheard of! A mixing of the Classes was atrocious, you just didn't do it, Tallest or not. The young one would prove to be a problem...something would have to be done about her.

Red paced around the 'living' room, staying on the red half of course. Pur hated to have anything touched or out of place-especially his books. Ivy sat on Red's couch and sipped a fizzy drink.

"What are you worried about Reddy?" She asked when he paced to her side of the room. "Is it Pur? Is something going to happen to Pur?" The Soldier was on the other side again and swinging back.

"No, I just don't know how I'm going to run an entire Empire without Purple!" He waved his arms, emphasizing the size of the Tallest domain. "Pur was always the brains behind everything." 

His attention wandered to the rack of bati staffs. He longed to practice, to feel the sheer power he could wield with a mere, careful, flick of his wrist. The serrated blades swinging in a gold arc, coming around with a precise and fluid movement to rest against the throat of his imaginary foe, or Purple, whoever he was scaring, er, practicing with. But he couldn't. It took total concentration and that was something he didn't have at the moment. He could end up in two pieces. Maybe later with a plastic set, he could give Ivy a lesson...

"Do you need help?" The green-eye asked innocently, slurping noisily through the straw, a habit picked up from Red and looked down upon by Purple.

"No, I do not need help!" Red shouted indignantly.

"Yes you do!" Ivy shot back.

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

"Fine!" Red yelled, "What has Purple taught you about the Irken government?"

"A lot, why? I thought you didn't need my help?" Red rolled his eyes.

"Well if you're going to be a brat about it, I'll ask a short thing." The Soldier began to leave.

"Wait!" Ivy called. "I'm not a brat; I'll help you, really!" She ran out of the room and followed the crimson figure down the hall.

The pretty young Irken was sitting at a control desk staring at the corroded circuitry. A determined look was in her light blue eyes and her curly antennae were pricked forward in concentration. She promised to be a wonderful technician. Her skills were almost unsurpassed, but then again, she was being taught by some of the best in the business. Ju-Tian Di placed the holograph back on the table and rubbed his eyes, blinking away the beginning tears.

"Master Di?" A hesitant voice asked. Tegin entered the room slowly, not wanting to disturb his teacher. His orange eyes were lowered and his antennae slicked back in a sign of submission. Ju-Tian always had to tell him not to be so serious...

"Yes, has anything happened? Are you all right?" Tegin's antennae pricked forward in gratification at the genuine concern his teacher felt. No one had cared about him in a long time.

"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but I was wondering about the student of Tallest Purple's sir." Ju stood up and walked over to his young student, who immediately shrank away, damn Soldiers! It had taken months to get Tegin to even look up without cowering and now, with the heightened emotions and the business of the coalition starting up again, he had begun to revert back into himself. He was an excellent technician and under the guidance of both Nijai and Ju had begun to flourish despite what the Soldiers in the nurseries had done to him.

"Hey, lighten up kid, what's your question?" Without raising his eyes the timid young orange-eye whispered his answer; Ju had to strain to hear it:

"I was wondering if I could see to her, sir." Ju-Tian almost fell over. It was the first time Tegin had ever asked to be part of the rebellion, Ju hadn't even wanted him to know but the young student was inquisitive, despite his shyness.

"Are you sure?" Teal eyes narrowed. Red was a Soldier and he lived where Ivy did. It had been his plan to put someone older, perhaps Nijai herself in there, but not Tegin.

"Yes sir." Ju placed a slender hand on the small shoulder and for once Tegin didn't flinch.

"Red is there."

"I know sir." Ju sighed. His student had made a decision and wouldn't ever go back on it.

"Only if you're are absolutely sure." Tegin nodded.

"I am sir."

The prison underneath the Tallest complex was chilly and Nijai rubbed her arms vigorously, trying to put some warmth back into the willowy appendages. She was searching for Purple's cell and they were all the same. Most were filled with thieves and even some members of the coalition; she avoided those ones. Some were in there for even pettier crimes, put there by Red on one of his bored days and most likely forgotten. When, if, Purple got out of here she would have to tell him, but not now.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she found the cell. He was in there, dead to the world and snoring softly. Legs dangling over the end of the pitifully undersized cot and his head draped over the other end, antennae twitching softly in response to his dreams. The Student Tallest would regret that position the morning. 

Through the bared windows Nijai could see that the second moon hadn't even risen yet, making the time...very late at night. At dawn it would rise, incredibly low to the horizon, and that would be her marker for when she would talk with Purple, but not until then. Until then she would sit down and wait, ignore the catcalls from the uncouth prisoners and wonder what her Tallest was dreaming about.

***Flashback or Dream, whichever you prefer***

Purple pressed a gloved hand against the cold window of the transport. For the next few days it would be his home, until they reached Planet 37.5. Things hadn't been too bad yet. For the most part everyone left him alone, even Red.

"They're probably planning something." He murmured bitterly, pulling his hand away and watching the stars rush by, tiny pinpoints of light in the vast black beyond. The grand brilliance was enough to make you feel insignificant. 

He loved the stars; it was almost impossible to find a Student who didn't. The intensity of the cosmos, planets, supernovas, galaxies, and so many questions yet so few that had been answered: the whole effect was mind blowing. It placed you into a category so small it was almost un-noticed by the surrounding powers of the universe.

"Hello Violet, having a nice trip?" The icy voice, filled with contempt, echoed through the large expanse of room and Purple turned around to be met by the cold scarlet eyes of five Soldiers, one of them Red. One he hadn't met before, or seen for that matter was doing the talking. "You're in our room." 

"It's the conference room, how can it be yours?" The Student immediately regretted those simply words for in less then a second his throat was being pressed against the window with enormous pressure. Red just stood by and watched, letting the other four punch and kick and strangle their weaker prey, just like in the nurseries, only this time Jendai wasn't here to help him.

"Okay," Red spoke after a few minutes, "I think he's learned his lesson." The one holding Purple by the throat let go and the young scholar fell to a heap on the floor, eyes closed and gasping for air. A trickle of blood leaked from his mouth onto the metal surface creating a rose-colored puddle at Red's feet. Coldly, Red lifted the limp head and placed his face an inch away from Purple's. A swollen eye cracked open. "See you tomorrow." He removed his gloved hand and Purple's jaw hit the floor with a resounding thud, he listened to them walk away, regretting the day he was "born".

Somehow, hours later, he managed to pull himself upright and limp to the medical bay, coughing every step of the way and attempting to think up a valid excuse for his sorry condition. Needless to say he didn't find one, hopefully the medic on duty wouldn't ask.

"What happened to you Student?" The red-eyed Soldier barely reached up to Purple's shoulders.

"I, uh, tripped." Purple croaked out. The pitiful lie was all he could think of to say.

"Uh-huh, you tripped eh? Must've been some fall." Purple stayed quiet for the duration of the treatment. "There you go Student, now get out of here, I've got work to do." The scholar nodded and made his way slowly to his quarters.

Just as he was in sight of the safety of his room one of the Soldiers that had beaten him up came strolling toward him through the hallway. It didn't take long for the vindictive red-eye to spot him. Purple began running, praying to the Mother of Irk he could get to his room in time to avoid another encounter. The pad that would allow only him access was inches away from his outstretched hand, but so was the Soldier.

"Hey!" He snarled, grabbing Purple's finely boned hand. In a fit of terror and adrenaline Purple shoved the other Irken away. Caught off guard he stumbled and fell backwards, catching himself in time to see the door slide shut with Purple panting heavily on the other side.

"Sweet Mother of Irk..." he gasped, throat and bruises burning he listened to the Solider pounding on his door with fists so powerful he actual shook the heavy metal.

"Come out and face me Student! You can't hide in there forever and when you come out!" The threats fell on deaf antennae for exhaustion had flooded the young scholar's system and he was slumped against the door, asleep.

***End Flashback***

"Nijai!" The harsh word jarred the female out of her doze and it took her a few seconds to figure out it was from her com-link. "Nijai!" A few more seconds and the voice registered as Ju-Tian.

"Hmm, what is it?" She asked raising the com to her lips.

"I need you back here right away, it's about Tegin." Her antennae flicked in with a sense of dread.

"What is it? What's happened? Is he all right?" Ju noted her paranoia.

"No, no, he's fine, it's something else...about Purple's student." Now Nijai was perplexed. What would Tegin want with her?

"I'll be there as soon as possible, but what about Tallest Purple." The second moon was dipping back below the horizon. She had missed her window. "Never mind, I missed it. I'll be right there." She closed the link and hurried out of the underground prison. She'd have to talk to Purple later.

Tegin had disappeared back into the recesses of his room. He liked it in there, no one else but him and his projects to worry about. It had a nice view and he could watch the sunsets and moon rise whenever he wanted. And most of all he felt safe when he was there. Not like in the nursery. They could get him in there. Tegin shivered at the memories and curled into a tight ball as if shielding himself from imaginary blows. All around him he could imagine the red eyes of the Soldiers as they laughed and jeered and kicked and punched.

"St...stupid Soldiers..." he whispered. For years the academies had been overcrowded and it left the Soldiers no where else to go but to the Student nurseries. For years they beat up on the smaller ones and the ones that couldn't fight back. A knock on the door and Tegin looked up, orange eyes wide with fear until the soft alto voice of his teacher drifted through the metal.

"Tegin? Could you come out here please? Nijai wants to speak with you." With a soft sigh Tegin untangled himself and opened the door. The soft decor of teal mingled with gold was comforting and Tegin felt himself relax. 

"Yes Miss Nijai?" Her soft voice was low and he began to wonder if he had done something wrong.

"Ju-Tian told me of your decision." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Are you positive you want to go through with it. I'm not saying you can't go back once the decision is made but it would probably not be a good idea."

"I'm positive Miss Nijai." He laughed, a rare event, and both Nijai and Ju-Tian smiled at the pleasant sound. "You two worry about me too much."

"And why shouldn't we?" Ju asked good naturedly. "You are, after all, only fourteen years old."

"What do I have to do?" The young orange-eye was almost immediately serious again but the excitement that laced his voice was hard to miss.

"All you have to do is come with me to work tomorrow. Ivy doesn't usually hang out in the halls, and that's why I didn't notice her until now, but she may be around. All you have to do is make sure she is apart from _Red_ and Purple." Tegin nodded.

"That sounds simple enough. Is that all?" His teachers nodded.

Purple yawned and sat up, muscles protesting loudly with sharp spikes of pain.

"Stupid cot." He murmured. It had not been one of his better nights. Dreams of Soldiers and the uncomfortable position had plagued him endlessly. He stared through the bars of his window, contemplating, watching the sun rise along with rising memories of Jendai. Purple let his hand touch the smooth fabric covering his chest.

The calm Student had forgotten what Red and the others had done to him and now that he was remembering it he knew why he forgot. Red had been so cruel and unforgiving it was a wonder Purple had made it to Tallest alive. A noise in the hallway startled him.

"Let me by!" The scholar recognized it as Ivy's voice.

"I'm afraid I can't Miss Ivy, direct orders from the Tallest." Purple felt his anger rise and bubble to the surface. Why was Red doing this? Why wasn't Ivy allowed to see him? He knew that she shouldn't be down here but when she took the trouble...

"Reddy said I couldn't come down here?" He heard her exclaim in a loud indignant voice. Purple could almost imagine her twitching antennae and angry eyes. She would be easily a foot above that guard too.

"Ouch! Fine disobey your Tallest's direct orders!" He heard the clink of keys hitting the floor and uneven footsteps. She must've kicked him in the leg.

"Pur!"

"Red told you not to come down here." Purple said softly. "And kicking someone smaller then you wasn't a very nice thing to do."

"I know, I know..." she muttered on the other side of the door. She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door. "But I missed you." Ivy threw her arms around Purple's neck and hung there for a few minutes. "Reddy's in a bad mood too." The green-eye said into his neck.

"Why?" Ivy let go and dropped to the ground.

"It's hard for him to run the Empire. He's not smart enough." She giggled.

"Your helping him right? We've been going over the laws and rules for years. You know shorty, if you grow a little more you might be able to become Tallest."

"I'm helping, I'm helping and don't call me shorty!."

"Ivy!" Red's thunderous voice echoed throughout the underground passages making Tallest, student and prisoners flinch. His tall, imposing figure loomed in the doorway and then visibly relaxed as his crimson eyes spotted the young green-eye. "Tell me next time you plan on going somewhere, and quit beating up the guards." Purple flinched at those words, Ivy was turning out to have Red's personality, the dangerous part that is. She hadn't picked up on the idiocy yet, thank the first Tallest. 

"I was just visiting Pur, he looks lonely, see?" She yanked her teacher down to her level had pulled his face forward. Red laughed and Purple's expression. 

"I see. Well Nijai brought someone in to see you. His name is Tegin, I think, and, um, he's your age. Why don't you go up and see him while I talk to Pur down here for a while. Oh, and take the Elite Guards with you, they're bothering me." 

"'Kay, bye Pur." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out of the room.

I'm gonna have to stop here and this will be all for a while. I'm already starting to digress from the original point so I'll have to stop and gather my thoughts. It won't be too long, I promise, but unless you want it to be never ending...

Please review, they make me so happy! ^-^


	4. Chapter 4

"I still don't see why you're so worried Pur." Red casually poked at, well, everything with a slender finger in an attempt to keep himself occupied. "Nobody's tried anything and it's been two days. I'm bored." Purple was gazing at the outside world and answered Red with a slight edge in his voice.

"Well, you can let down your guard then. But when you die, don't come crying to me." 

"I've been thinking Pur." The Student raised a would be eyebrow.

"You've been actually thinking? Tell me, please, was it hard?" 

"Geez, you and Ivy...you practically scream I'm a moron!" Purple's stifled laughter poured out.

"Ivy too! Red, come on! You're being outdone by a fourteen-year-old! This is hilarious!" He was bent double, holding his aching sides and trying to stop.

"It's not funny." Red said dryly. "Just 'cause I'm not an _almighty _Student, pah."

"Okay, okay," Purple took a deep breathe. "What have you been thinking about, and Red, so help me, if it has anything to do with lasers, I'll help the coalition."

"That kid, you know, the one Nijai brought in?" Purple nodded.

"The one you sent Ivy off to play with?"

"That's the one." Red's antennae flicked back, an unusual thing for the usually animated Soldier, and he toyed with his skirt. "Do I scare you?"

"Sometimes...why?" Purple asked even though he thought he might know the answer.

"He was terrified of me. His eyes got huge and I thought he was going to pass out. Did I...scare you like that, back then." The scholar was wondering why Red even cared. Could Ivy or what had happened to Purple himself, years ago, actually have changed the battle hardened Soldier?

"You and your gang tried to kill me on several occasions, what do you think?" The red-eye just shrugged. "Of course you scared me, you terrified me! I stayed in my room until we reached the planet for fear of being destroyed!" The serene Tallest shivered at the memories. "You actually care?"

"Um, sort of...don't think I've gone soft or anything because I haven't and if you tell anyone I swear, those clothes won't protect you from anything."

"You worry too much."

"Great," Red scoffed, "I'm turning into you." He cringed.

"And it's that bad?"

"Yes." Purple crossed his arms.

"I'm that bad, huh?" He asked wryly. "Who's running the Empire? Have _you_ conquered anymore planets? The Soldier shrugged.

"Depends, have _you_ gotten a handle on the coalition?" they both laughed but it was hard and forced.

"You better get back up there." Purple said quietly, sitting back down on the cot. "Now that Ivy has a friend who knows what she might get in to. And don't you help, whatever she's doing."

"Right." The red-eye mumbled and began to leave. "I have got to leave this thinking stuff to the Students; it gives me such a headache..." his deep voice gradually faded away leaving Purple alone again.

Orange met green as the two young students delved deeper into their staring contest. Tegin's eyes began to water and twitch, while Ivy struggled to keep her from doing the same; it was difficult as eyes always seemed to act up when one was trying not to blink.

"You blinked! I saw it!" Exclaimed Ivy, blinking. "Aw, so did I...now no one wins." Tegin giggled at her pouty face.

"It only took an hour, we could try again." He suggested quietly.

"Naw, that wasn't one of Red's best ideas. Want to see something neat?" From Tegin's point of view just being inside the Tallest complex was neat but the fact that there was more...actually, the orange-eye was amazed that Ivy wanted anything to do with him. He was a foot below her four-feet, one-inch and from what he had been told, the taller you got the less you wanted to do with anyone else. He nodded in response to Ivy's question. "Come on, it's in Pur's room."

"Are we allowed in there?" The green-eye shrugged.

"I don't know but he's not here to ask." She ran down the hall with Tegin struggling to catch up. The twisting halls and winding passageways made it easy to get lost in the Tallest complex and the stairs and high ceilings didn't help any. Farther to the top everything became shades of purple and red, gradually branching off into two separate corridors: one violet, one a deep burgundy. Ivy took the purple one.

"Maybe I'll polish something..." the red-eye murmured to himself as he walked through the red/purple hall to his room. All this thinking and pressure was making the Soldier uptight and he needed to relax. Aside from taking a nap, he decided, polishing a weapon of some-sort would help relieve the tension. Suddenly a potted plant fell over. "What?" Now Red was more confused then anything. Potted plants did not just fall over, not in this Tallest complex. He wandered closer. "Anyone there?" He threw the question out loudly and a small male figure with yellow eyes, obviously a Student, jumped out from behind the fallen plant. Only his Invader training saved Red because a serrated battle blade just missed his head as he jumped backwards. "What the!" Red jumped high in the air as the weapon crashed down again. This Student had clearly had some training. The Tallest winced as the blade slashed his un-armored arm.

"Down with Red!" The yellow-eye screamed, slashing air again. Madness gleamed in Red's eyes and he whirled around and low, missing another shot aimed for his head. Today would be the day everyone on this floor took a break at the same time...an epiphany struck the Soldier square in the face just as the knife missed it. That one had been too close.

"Don't think," he murmured, "It will only mess you up..." Another swing, another dodge. This guy was good, or maybe Red was just out of practice, he seriously doubted the latter. "That's it!" He roared at the next swing, grabbing the shorter Irken by the knife hand and swinging him in an arc high above his head. He hit the ground with a solid whumph! The Tallest stood there panting, staring at the unconscious Irken below him. Gingerly he touched the gash in his arm, it still leaked blood and it dripped to the floor creating a small puddle. It hurt but he could patch it up later. "Someone," he said quietly, "is in on the coalition and works here." The personnel just didn't take breaks at the same time. A flickering light, high above him, was reflected in the rosy liquid and it bothered him, making him wonder when the technicians would fix it. Ever the one with attention deficit syndrome he was already on to other things. Red walked away, leaving the unconscious Student on the floor, he would be out for a while.

Tegin was amazed to say the least. The room was lavishly endowed with intricate furniture and thick carpeting. Holographs of Purple and a short, blue-eyed Irken he didn't know graced the tabletops and bookshelves that lined the room. Everywhere there were books, giving testimony to the scholar that usually resided there. A separate hall designed with light and dark purple marble patterns led to what Tegin assumed was a bedroom.

"Come on, it's over here." She pointed at a strange instrument in the corner. "It's a ti-aten*, Purple is teaching me how to play it." Ivy looked up proudly. "Isn't it neat?"

"Very neat." Tegin agreed. "Will you play something for me?" Ivy looked away shyly.

"I'm not very good."

"Please?" She sat down.

"I guess..." Her fingers flew on the strings and her feet touched the chimes very lightly, setting the rhythm. The tune was very beautiful and Tegin felt his eyes close halfway. It was calm and smooth, quick chords blending with one another so seamlessly...it was beyond words.

* AN: A ti-aten is a stringed, Irken musical instrument. For a more in-depth explanation please see Jade Eyes, by Aliet Faslami. 

Hmm, is Red going soft? 

It was very short, I know, but please read and review!


	5. Chapter 5

If I really begin to stray off point let me know, but I do have a lot of stuff to explain. 

Thank luvwu for the nachos.

If you get bored I definitely need to know, can't have that now can we. Always feel free to make suggestions and ask questions, I will certainly consider and try to answer them.

Enjoy! R&R, if you would please...

"Vee?" Red shouted, hearing the music drifting through the purple hallway. "Get out of there!" The two young students trudged out unhappily.

"I was just showing Tegin the ti-aten..." she murmured. "Didn't Pur say he wanted me to practice?" Green eyes looked up hopefully.

"No." all through this commentary Tegin could nothing but tremble behind Ivy, standing ramrod straight and staring up at Red's enormous height. 

"Ivy won't let him get me." He murmured through clenched teeth. Already he felt he knew this tall female, at least to the point where he knew she wouldn't hurt him. Quick orange eyes spotted the silvery-rose blood leaking down the Tallest's arm. He tapped Ivy and pointed when she turned around. 

"What's wrong Tegin? Why are you shaking like that?" She followed his finger. "Reddy! What happened to your arm?" The Soldier absent-mindedly touched the blood.

"I, um, tripped." Ivy raised a would-be eyebrow.

"You tripped, yeah, right." The red-eye turned around, walking away.

"I gotta go, stay out of Pur's room, 'kay?" The small terrified thing behind Ivy made him uncomfortable, namely because he knew he was causing it. Staring after her instructor Ivy wondered, she wasn't dumb and knew enough to figure out that a bunch of Irkens were after her friend. A soft thump yanked her out of the trance. Tegin had dropped to his knees and was muttering incoherent words. She knelt beside him.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, laying a gloved hand on his shoulder. He looked up in alarm.

"N, nothing...really, I'm fine." Tegin stood shakily, leaning against the violet wall for support.

"It's Red, isn't it?" She knew these things, something Purple referred to as female's intuition, or something....that and she knew Soldiers had that kind of effect on some Students. The green-eye could remember Purple telling her about when he and Red first met, along with how the other Soldiers had treated him. Boy had that taken a while...not to mention a lot of alcohol...

"Yes..." Tegin admitted slowly. "I just, freeze up around Soldiers...I guess..."

"Follow me." The orange-eye nodded weakly and followed her through a purple and red door twenty feet down the hall. The corridor they entered was a soft green, well lit and lined with pictures of weapons, scholars and modern art. "This is my room," she told him, opening a door at the end of the hallway. Again Tegin was amazed. The decor was all green, light and dark. Again lavish furniture graced the room and books, along with weapons were all over the place. The huge windows gave ample view to the sky above them. It was a deep gold and filled with swirling pink clouds and the first moon was about to rise, indicating it was getting late, later then Tegin realized. That means Miss Nijai has gone home, he thought with horror. She left me here...he didn't much like the idea, Red, and other Soldiers, lived in this building too.

"I guess it's all right." He murmured so his tall acquaintance couldn't hear. Ivy gestured to a comfortable chair and sat in another one, her height would be enough to intimidate him into telling his secrets, she hoped. "Sit down and tell me about it." And Tegin had no choice but to comply.

***Just out of curiosity, was anyone out there waiting for a Tegin Flashback?***

The Student nurseries were generally calm places, save for the disagreements in the pecking order. Some, taller of course, would band together and pick on the smaller ones, never doing any real damage. And some would keep to themselves and leave everyone else alone.

But unfortunately, on the outside, Irk was in utter turmoil. Students were focusing on rebellion against the Soldiers, they wanted Student rights: equal opportunities for everything the battle-hardened Soldiers got. Small wars had even been started, but as always, the Students were overwhelmed by the sheer number of trained Soldiers the Irken academies could plunge into the battlefield. This attitude, when passed though adults, contaminated the younger Students and because of this, over a period of years, the Students in the nurseries developed the same outlook on each other. More fights occurred and many of them were serious, and, to make matters worse, the academies became overcrowded.

The young Soldiers were shipped off to Student nurseries by the dozen. The young, trained Irkens had no trouble in overtaking any one place and were soon running almost every nursery. They would destroy bands of Students, often beating them up, to obtain complete power. They reveled in their glory, using fear to essentially dominate the weaker class. Those Students that did manage to stay together were older and taller ones and they stayed away from everyone.

Tegin's nursery wasn't much different. He was the outcast of both sides, shunned for his shy manner and intellectual competence. He was beaten up by both sides, and in his mind, knew nothing better, nor did he want to. The young, misguided Student simply didn't know any other way. It hurt, that much he grasped, but he thought it was the same for everybody. To say he wasn't scared of the others would be a lie, for in fact he was absolutely terrified of them. His overwhelming intelligence was the focus of much jealousy and he paid dearly for it, often.

All the others of his playgroup were in a lesson and Tegin was permitted to skip it because he had already completed the test with an almost perfect score, without taking the course. The young orange-eye was in his favorite corner, playing with boxes of different shapes, colors and sizes. He was creating a multitude of patterns with the limited recourses and having as much fun as one could whilst playing with blocks. His slender antennae picked up the sound of heavy footsteps and he peered up into the scornful red eyes of seven Soldiers.

"Hello _Student_." The leader, one Tegin recognized as Jih , said. "Having fun?" was Jih a tall menace to say the least, one who liked nothing better then to beat up on the younger ones. And Tegin, at the young age of four and a half, was the ideal target. This Soldier hazard had sent three newcomers to the medical units already and he had only been there a month. Tegin looked away, trembling in fear. Of all the Soldiers in the nursery he feared Ien the most.

"What's wrong?" Another asked. "You're not scared of us are you?" He sneered. "We should teach him a lesson in respect." Jih nodded.

"Yeah, we should. It would be doing the teachers a favor." he extended a dirty boot. "Lick my boots clean." Tegin couldn't answer.

"Didn't you hear him? He just gave you an order!" the young Student winced at the loud voice. No one was here to help him; his group was at the other end of the complex. Before he could even contemplate an answer the solid boot struck him under the chin. In seconds they were all over him, fists were everywhere. He could feel someone pulling at his back pod, trying to wrench it from his body. The wires, rooted in his muscle and tissue, were ripping; he could feel them tearing from his spine. Tegin would end up being paralyzed if...

***End Flashback***

Ivy felt a pang of sympathy go out to her quivering friend. She was reminded of Purple when he had told her his dark past. The Student Tallest had stopped often in his tale, the horror sometimes too much to bear. That, coupled with the loss of his best friend, had almost made it impossible for him to retell some parts.

"Are you all right?" She asked quietly.

"I'm 'kay..." He sounded almost childish, but, then again, Ivy didn't blame him. Her back was beginning to ache at the mere though of...that.

"You don't have to tell me anymore, I think I understand why you are skittish around Reddy, but he wouldn't hurt you." She placed a slender finger to her chin in thought. "Not unless you threatened someone he likes..." Tegin laughed a little at that. "I have a question though. Did they manage to, um, you know...?" He shook his head.

"No, but I couldn't move for a few months after that. All the wiring had to be redone, but they could never make it exact. If I strain too much with the pod attachments it really begins to hurt..." His orange eyes were sad and haunted, Ivy didn't like it. "Teacher Di and Miss Nijai take good care of me though. I'm almost ready to receive Teacher Di's name." He said this with a certain amount of pride, and Ivy knew why. To receive your Teacher's name was a great honor.

"I'm sorry I had to make you retell that..." Ivy was suddenly ashamed at what she had just done.

"It's okay, it wasn't that bad." The haunted look disappeared and he smiled. "Nijai would have left by now. Is it all right if I stay here?"

"Sure! Purple and Red have never let me have someone sleep over before!" She looked around the huge space. A short flight of steps led up to a curtained alcove, most likely her bed. It, the whole room, was essentially a vast area with curtains and lower spaces in the floor dividing separate places. The combat training area for example was in a low dip in almost the center. "We could both sleep on the floor! It will be like camping out!" Tegin shared in her excitement, no one had ever wanted to do that with him before.

"husssz!" Red gasped as the disinfectant came into contact with his bloody gash. "Haven't had to do this in a while...." his thoughts wandered as he pulled the bandage tightly about the wound. Being alone all the time was not any fun. "Why am I just sitting here?" He shouted, standing up quickly. "I'm Tallest here, I'm letting Pur out!" Hover belt switched on he flew down the flights of stairs in an angry movement.

"Sir, you can't-" 

"Can't what?" The manic gleam was back and Red stooped down, right into the prison guards face. The blazing crimson eyes struck fear into the heart of this experienced Soldier.

"Nothing my most Almighty Tallest, sir!" 

Good." He chucked the terrified Irken under the chin and strode off down the grimy hall leaving the guard to crumple to the floor. "Pur!" The Student Tallest hurried to the door.

"Red, what are you doing?"

"I don't want you in here any more. It's boring." He hovered back a pace and raised a wrist guard, aiming carefully. The red beam of light energy completely destroyed the simple lock and the door swung open with a disgruntled Purple following it in his rumpled Student clothing.

Ju-Tian was furious. Nijai had left his student in the hands of that, that _Soldier_ in the Tallest complex!

"Ju, I don't think any harm will come to him. Ivy seems to have taken to him."

"That's not the point Nijai!" His shoulders slumped, the antennae flicking in. "You know how he is around Soldiers, you know what they do, what they did to him! To all of us!" The golden-eyed female pulled him into a tight embrace, he buried his face in her neck.

"Everything will be fine, nothing will happen to Tegin."

"I hate Red...I hate all Soldiers..."

"I know, but smothering Tegin won't bring her back." She could feel the tremors racing through his this thin frame. It was still tearing him up inside...

*_The burning equipment...*_

He jerked away and dropped into a teal couch, sinking back into the soft material, remembering...

*_Terrified screams...laser fire...red eyes in the flame...*_

"Why did it have to be her...?" he whispered softly, looking up at Nijai. "Hm? Why?" The soft teal of his eyes gave way to a harsh glint. "I'll tell you why! Because Red ordered it! On a whim!" Tears trickled openly down his cheeks. She was gone because of him! Gone forever because the dumb Soldier had thought they were members of the coalition. They weren't then, for the sake of protecting their students, but they were now...

*_"Bust open the door! I want every rebel out of there!" The Tallest's voice rose above the roar of the flames striking fear into the already terrified Students._

"Teacher!" The shrill piercing scream of his student reached his ears. Wounded by a falling beam he struggled towards the sound, finally seeing her. The striking blue eyes were filled with horror and pain as the orange blaze licked at her clothing...*

"And now Tegin is there!?" He yelled with false disbelief. "What if the Soldier finds out you're a member? Tegin will be executed!"

*_"Teacher..." Ju-Tian's blood dripped into his eyes, he couldn't see, more fire..._

"Hang on Aniou! I'm coming..." Smoke filled his lungs, he couldn't breath...and still Red's voice still carried.

"Burn it down!" More laser fire, more flames. Maniacal laughter. More screams, growing fainter...heat, blistering, burning...the bliss of unconsciousness...*

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Ju looked up dejectedly.

"How can you be sure?"

Purple was back in his Tallest garb sipping a soda with a box of curly fries at his side in the room joining the two hallways leading to the Tallest's separate quarters.

"Irk, I missed these..." He murmured happily, shoving a handful of the greasy delicacies in his mouth. Red watched him from a distance with a container of nachos, covered in gooey, greasy cheese. He licked his cheesy fingers with a sigh of content. Now the Soldier could afford to goof off and live on cheese, not having to worry about ruling an empire. Pur, ever and always the brains, could run things.

"Vee's camping in her room with her new friend." He waited for a response and all he got was a muffled 'mph' roughly translating into 'that's nice, leave me alone, I'm eating curly fries.' Red reached into his container only to find it was empty, devoid of life giving nachos. Tipping the carton above his face he looked into the cheesy globs, crimson eyes searching for even a trace of bake-y corn, yellow-covered goodness. Instead a greasy drop dripped into his eye. "Ahhhhh! It burns!" He screamed running around the room holding his face. This, though indulged as he was, caused Pur to look up.

"Red," he said between a mouthful. "Watch out for the door." Too focused on his burning eye the Soldier didn't hear and instead ran smack-dab into the thick metal. The Student Tallest winced, finishing his last curly fry while holding back tears of loss. Red sat up, rubbing his eye and holding his head. "Did you and Ivy manage to keep things from getting too out of control while I was gone?" He asked, standing up and stretching.

"Yes!" Red retorted, being sore and achy always put him in a bad mood.

"I've been meaning to ask you what happened to your arm." 

"I caught in on a table when I tripped in my room." The words came without pause, he had had time to perfect his lie, no use panicking the already paranoid Student.

"Quite..." Purple muttered, shaking his head and then yawning. "It's late, I'm going to bed." He waved over his shoulder and hovered over to the split in the hallways and after a moment of indecision opened the purple and red door, sliding it open with a push of a button. He hovered down the corridor admiring the pictures and art eventually coming to the light green door. It slid open and he peered inside smiling at the sight he saw. In the dip of the sparring area Ivy and Tegin lay curled up in mounds of blankets, snoring softly. Games and the remains of food packaging littered the room, the lights hadn't even been dimmed. "Lights, dim." He whispered quietly, heading out and turning into the joining room. Red was gone, probably back into his quarters sleeping, Purple considered, deciding that's where he should be right now.

It wasn't long before he was under the soft violet blankets in his bed, his right size bed, and in even a shorter amount of time he was asleep. But to say that was a good thing remained to be seen.

***Flashback/Dream thingy***

Through the huge windows in his room Purple could see Planet 37.5 spinning slowly beneath the ship. The dust ball had no sun, at least not one close enough to generate any light for the planet. The temperature would be around freezing if not below and all the Invaders', including Purple's, back pods had been outfitted for the extreme cold. The air on this floating rock had already been deemed breathable but would be harsh on the lungs until they got used to it. Life forms had yet to be discovered.

In the vast expanse of the briefing room the young Invaders, all 286 of them, were lined up at attention, chest in, shoulders back, chin up, antennae forward and staring straight ahead with SIR units behind them all, except Purple, Students weren't allowed Soldier equipment. Red and Purple stood at either end towering over their fellow trainees. In due course the CO stalked in, a semi-short Irken with a deep red, almost burgundy, shade of eyes. He was fairly old but the timbre of his voice didn't convey it.

"You, worm stink!" He pointed a finger at a sniggering Soldier. 

"Yes Sir!" The silent communication was lost upon Purple but he soon saw what had transpired for the insolent fool was sent into another room and screams of pain or terror could soon be heard.

"I will not tolerate insubordination in my regiment!" He roared, deafening voice echoing around the space and rattling Purple's sensitive antennae. "All of you worthless excuses for Invaders will be paired up with another, understood?"

"Yes Sir!" The collective answer barely filled the space, proof of what power the CO's voice had.

"You will keep your partner's life as if it were your own, got it?" Before they could answer the old Soldier was shouting names, or rather, numbers. "One and two hundred twenty-six! Two and seventy-eight! Three and sixteen!" By the end of the whole thing Purple was beginning to slouch and failed to notice that he and Red were the last two Irkens left. He jumped at his number. "Number two eighty-six, Tallest candidate, and number two eighty-five, Tallest candidate! Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir!" The whole thing was very boring and the young Student couldn't wait to get outside and see what he could do, even if it had to be with Red. Another Soldier entered the hall, whispering something to the CO and handing him a bundle of papers.

"It appears that we are not the only ones attempting to overrule this planet, others got here before us. They are reported to be very well armed so I don't want anyone going near them." He paused, chuckling to himself. "At least not until we've had some more training. We have got to keep everyone here as safe as possible," his deep eyes focused on Red, giving a silent warning, "and that order goes for everyone, including Tallests candidates." The Soldier was silent for a while. "Well, what are you waiting for? Use your SIR units and begin your analysis' of this rock! I want to see how you work! Go, go, go!" The "troops" walked stiff legged into the dark atmosphere. Almost immediately the sound of coughing Irkens could be heard. The heavy air was hard to breathe and the cold didn't make it any easier.

"Geez..." Purple shuddered, turning on the built in heating system and sighing as warmth flooded his body. It took the Soldiers a few more minutes to do the same. In no time the exterior lights of the ship flooded the area bathing everything in bright white light. The Student looked around him in dull surprise. "I wonder what could possibly live here?" All around the planet was covered in sand, thick, yellow and coarse. Dunes seemed to make up most of the topography, no trees, grass, water, nothing but sand. Beyond the lit compound darkness took over, gently blending into an orange glow on the horizon. "That must be the other camp." Purple realized. "They must be very basic to have only fire for light and heat..." A heavy arm draped over his shoulder broke his train of thought.

"Hey partner, don't try and interfere with my plans, 'kay? I might have to get rid of you." Red laughed, walking away to join his friends in a game, most likely 'kill the Student'. Purple sighed heavily, this mission thing was pathetic. He didn't see the point of 'ooh, a planet, must destroy, conquer all life and leave it a desolate wasteland'. Chortling at the fact it was already a desolate wasteland he walked toward the edge of the lighted perimeter.

"They won't have any fun, there is nothing to destroy." He sat down in the sand and began thinking about what he could do to pas the time, nothing came to mind. The Soldiers on the other hand were having a blast, literally. Each Irken on this expedition had been issued a small handheld blaster, even Purple, and almost all of them were firing at each other in a pathetic display of power and what made it even worse was that the CO was encouraging it. "Morons." He muttered, pulling a book out of his back pod and settling down to read it.

That was a pathetic ending to that chapter...but I think it will get better. I hope you are all still enjoying it and please review!


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter will be one long flashback, please enjoy and review.

Partners. It was the middle of the night and Purple tossed the word around in his head over and over again. He was a partner to an Irken that would love nothing more than just to kill him. It was a very unsettling thought. The Student flipped through the pages of his book, not really interested in what they had to tell him. His antennae were tuned to listen for anything behind him; he was in total defensive mode, ready to run at a moment's notice. A soft sifting sound of a foot in sand alerted him to another's presence.

"Who's there?" He whispered; the rest of the camp was asleep and that was all he needed, to wake up the base and be killed by everyone. A familiar disdainful voice answered him.

"Shut up." It was Red. He was sneaking away, probably to attack the other aliens.

"Where are you going?" Asked Purple, curiosity getting the better of his common sense.

"None of your business!" Quipped the Soldier in a snappy whisper and ran into the blackness with his simple blaster in hand. He was going to fight and in doing so ignore the direct orders from the squad commander, typical. The scholar stood up, book dropping to the ground from his knees, and followed his partner.

It wasn't too far and the glow of their fires on the horizon led Red in the correct direction. It wasn't long before he topped the hill looking over their orange-lit camp. There were hundreds of them, huge, monstrous creatures easily twice the size of their Almighty Tallest! Dangerous spikes jutted from every body part, perfect for slicing and dicing. Doing the only logical thing, in a Soldier's mind anyway, he crested the hill in all his "Tallest in Training" glory and ran straight at the multitude of inhabitants. Purple wasn't far behind.

To the well-trained eye of a Student it was obvious that these aliens were invaders, much like themselves. Their body structure just didn't match the surrounding area. They were too big to be supported on the meager resources that this planet sported. He shivered at their outer defenses. Lasers, though they visibly didn't need them, were clutched in their claws.

"Red, wait!" He shouted, but to no avail. Red would be killed; he was no match, despite his training, for this mass of dangerous mercenaries. Frozen with a temporary fear Purple watched as the ugly creatures noticed Red, and charged him. The Soldier faltered for a minute, unsure of what to do and then shook it off, running straight into the masses. He fought well; Purple noted he had taken down three of them, but not well enough to overpower hundreds! He was down, unconscious from a vicious blow due to a huge fist to his head, in less then two minutes. Without thinking Purple threw himself down the hill, mechanical legs flying from his back pod at the silent command. He pulled out his own blaster and began firing, shots going everywhere and taking down those closest to his fallen partner. No doubt confused, the monsters backed off. The Student leapt over their heads and landed in the circle he had created. Whatever they were, he thought they didn't have many brains.

"Stay back!" He yelled, picking Red up with an extra leg and swinging him into his free arm, the other waving the blaster around in a semicircle. He should have brought Red's SIR unit...

"Don' think so!" the gruff voices rose in unison, angry at being deprived of their fun by this small green intrusion, and pushed forward in a huge throng of spines and weapons. Purple leapt, straight into the air, seeking footholds for his legs. On mental commands they sought out a path and picked their way quickly over the backs of Purple's enemies, but he was tiring. A searing pain shot through his side, he had been slashed with a spike. Another, and another, rose-colored blood streaming to the sands below in bloody ribbons.

"Almost there..." he panted, thick air getting the better of him, legs missing their holds and slipping, evidence of his now horrible physical and mental condition. The smell of burning flesh, a laser had hit the arm holding Red. Whimpering in pain and fatigue Purple pulled the unconscious Irken to his chest, protecting him with his own body. It didn't matter that they were enemies now, only that they both make it out of there alive. "Unh!" He hit the sand and crumpled, leaping up almost as fast as he fell. "Away from base camp," he chanted, turning to his left. The camp of sleeping Irkens was too small to be caught unguarded, everyone would be killed. "Away from base camp, hm!" Again a laser struck him, pulling more rosy liquor away from his vital organs. Purple chanced a quick look behind him. They were dropping back and firing from a distance, their shots going wild. 

With metallic legs dragging from exhaustion the young Student forced himself blindly over five more dunes, complete darkness enveloping him. It was impossible to see and the fabric of Red's invader uniform was digging into his palms, the dead weight dragging Purple down. He ached all over, blood ran from his many wounds and he began to feel dizzy. The spider legs crumpled underneath him and he hit the sand, falling unconscious draped over his incompetent companion.

Red woke to the eternal darkness of the Planet #37.5 and something heavy lying on him. His skull throbbed in time with his heartbeat and he noticed that his entire uniform was sopping wet. The Soldier quickly shoved the heavy object off him and jumped up using a light from his back pod to check himself for injuries The only one he could find was the huge contusion on the back of his head.

"Must've been those stupid aliens." He muttered, pulling his soaking shirt away from his body. He couldn't figure out why it was so wet or, for that matter, why he was still alive. "Weird..." He swung the beam of light around in wide arcs and eventually it struck something metal, sending a silvery sheen in all directions. "What the?" The beam moved closer fully illuminating the broken body of his partner. So that's how, Red thought. The red-eye moved closer and poked Purple with the toe of his boot. Then he realized that the wet on his shirt was actually the Student's blood...

"Hmunh..." A soft groan, he was still alive.

"Purple?" The metallic legs of his back pod were splayed in all directions and silvery-rose blood soaked the sand all around, the slim antennae were slick to his head. Red knelt beside his enemy and gently shook his shoulder. "Wake up, pull your legs in." whether Purple heard him or not was in question and Red didn't know how to handle such things. He checked the Student over, gashes, burns and abrasions covered the lithe body and Red could tell that all this was bad. A violet eye cracked open, blearily searching around him, finally coming to rest on his partner.

"Red...?" The raspy voice was barely above a whisper. "You...okay...?" Red was speechless. He knew how he had treated Purple and it confused him that this _Student_, whom he had abused, would so readily give his own life for him. Red's pain was forgotten.

"I'm fine, but..." What do I do, Red thought. "Can you pull in your legs?" A weak shake of the head.

"I don'...think...so..." The voice, now shaky and thick with pain, faded off into a coughing fit, more blood spattered the sands. Red held the beam steady giving some comfort to the dying Irken.

"What do I do? Tell me, I'll do it!" The Soldier didn't know what it was that provoked this sudden change but now he was willing to do anything so that his comrade wouldn't pass away. His wide eyes saw the movement of a leg, at least he was trying-to stand up?! "No, no, just pull them in!" Purple winced at the harsh voice.

"'kay..." A shaky movement and one was in and then two, a break, a cough, more blood. Then three, eventually all.

"Good, this is going to hurt, brace yourself." Red slid an arm under his partner's shoulders, flinching at the gasps and weak screams. To Red's amazement he was very frail and light, not heavy and compact like the Soldiers he was so used to. Now his other arm snaked under the limp legs, Red had him cradled now. Slowly he commanded his legs to lift them carefully from the ground. "Which way?" The flashlight was now suspended above him, the blood trail was not hard to find. "Purple?" No answer apart from for ragged breathing. The Soldier ran.

Halfway there the worst word Red could think of at the moment roared through the darkness: Reactivate! The brilliant blue electricity raced through Purple's body and shocked Red into dropping him. With limbs tingling from the jolt the Soldier dropped to the sand, sitting beside Purple and watching in silent horror. The pod tried two more times and then was still.

Can't think of anymore, sorry... aw, Reddy cares!

I hope you still like it!

I have a page! Sorta...it's in construction...Anyways! You can go here and see pics of Ivy-tam, Pur, Tegin and Nijai, soon even more! I did them on my computer so Nijai turned out kind of strange but that's okay, I think everyone will get the point, I hope...

http://www.geocities.com/preventer_02/Odds-n-Ends.html 


	7. Chapter 7

If there is any question, this is NOT slash! Just wanted to clear that up. ^^

Okay, here's where I left off, enjoy!

Thanks to Narcotics for Ien's revenge! 

"Purple?" Desperate fingers sought for a pulse. "Purple!" Finally the blood thumped against Red's fingers in irregular beats. "Don't do that again," he told the air, "it hurts." He picked up his injured burden and raced to the base camp in hopes that they would be able to save him.

Far ahead the Soldier could see the orange glow of fires. "I must be at the alien camp." He murmured, holding Purple tighter and skirting the boundaries, speeding up the dunes. Irk he was tired, his head was throbbing again and it hurt to even breath. Red's steps were becoming uneven and his vision blurry. "A concussion, that's what it is..." the metallic legs slipped in the sand and he almost fell, his headache became worse. It was becoming increasingly harder to function, now that his body was no longer driving endorphins through his blood all his minor hurts were flaring tenfold and he couldn't keep concentration. Again Red slipped, going down on one metal knee, and Purple moaned, struggling vainly in his arms.

"No...stop it...help...hurry...'Dai, please..." 'Dai? Red's mind thought vaguely, who was that? Now he could see the artificial lights of base camp, which meant Irkens were awake...

"Medic!" Red yelled, pulling in his metallic legs, surprised at how weak he sounded. "Medic..." Even as his body hit the sand he could see his fellow Soldiers all around him, placing Purple on a hovering stretcher and helping Red to his feet. He was assaulted with what seemed like millions of questions but he was too tired to answer or even comprehend them.

"Back off! Give 'im some room!" Red winced as the booming voice of his CO rang through his head. "That was some fine work Soldier." He slammed Red across the back and he staggered. "Good job."

"He saved me..." Red spoke quietly, odd behavior in a Soldier.

"What?"

"I ran off and he saved me..." The "Tallest in Training" was finally understanding the situation.

"You attacked that camp?!" The CO was aghast. "You disobeyed direct orders?" Red didn't hear, he was gone in the direction of the ship. Purple would be in a medical unit, he hoped.

The medic on duty was a short light-red-eyed female, much the same color as Red's. She was taking notes while Purple, suspended in the thick bluish liquid of a med unit, was worked on by small instruments closing the torn muscle and healing the burns. 

"Can I see your head?" She asked, pulling him over to a table and checking him out before he understood enough to give an answer. "Your friend was in severe shock when we got him, it's a good thing you got him here when you did. You saved his life." 

"He saved mine first..." He was no longer tired, too much had happened.

"The _Student_ saved _you_?" She paused in her work, "Why?"

"I ran off..."

"If you weren't going to be a Tallest you would have been executed." 

"I know, ow!" The young Soldier was finally coming back to reality. "That hurts!" A siren on the tank began screaming out a warning.

"Well, if you'd sit still, I'm done, go!" She yelled and ran to the tank. Red didn't leave but stayed and watched. Purple was awake and thrashing around. He was screaming, sound stifled by the thick breathable liquid, and blood clouded the fluid when he ripped open old wounds that the computer hadn't been able to fix yet.

"What's going on?" The medic made no motion that she had heard him, she was shouting out commands.

"Computer, sedative to match body weight and condition! Enough to render subject unconscious for thirty-two hours!"

"Processing." This computer's voice was much softer, probably so it doesn't scare the patients, Red thought to himself. Two robotic arms dropped from the top of the tank, one with a needle, one to grab Purple and make him still. Soon enough the job was done and Purple was unconscious again.

"Tell me when he's out of the tank." It was an order not a suggestion and the short red-eye merely turned from her electronic notepad and nodded, tipping an antennae in salute to her superior.

"So why'd you rescue that _Student _anyway?" Hours later Red was surrounded by his friends in the conference room re-telling the story of his battle. But with the way the others twisted it around it sounded like Purple had run off and Red had saved him.

"I don't know, he was my partner, you know "keep your partner's life as if it were your own?"" He quoted the CO's words.

"Yeah," a different one said, "but you could have been the one and only Tallest, not have to share the position with that unworthy thing." Whether Red liked it or not those words stung, his ass had been saved by a Student, not the other way around, and now, openly, he was agreeing with his friends.

"Well," one named Ien said, "that piece of filth shoved me in the hall, I would a left him to die." Red knew that story and had concurred with his fellow Soldier, but now that he looked back on it Purple had had every right to shove him. A knock on the door startled him, it opened and the same medic as before gestured to him. He pulled away from the group and walked up to her.

"He's awake?" Asked Red, she nodded. His manner had changed, he had grown older during that night. The Soldier now walked with a calm, mannered grace that commanded respect. He wasn't as loud or brash as his fellows anymore. With all that, combined with his height, he had become quite the imposing figure.

Somewhere during the trek to the medical bay the medic disappeared.

"Probably to tell the CO." Red mused as he walked through the sliding door into the white environment. "Computer, where is Student Purple?" The word no longer had the demeaning tone as before, now it held a quiet reverence. No Student he'd ever known or heard about had ever done anything quite that valiant before, especially not for a Soldier.

"Intensive care unit." The soft, tinny voice said. Red winced at that, usually the tank would put you right into recovery. Quietly the Soldier walked into IC, it wasn't hard to find Purple; he was the only one in there but he was asleep again.

"Geez..." The Student was a mess. He was a limp mass of Irken who seemed almost unable to lift the sheet draped over his chest when breathing. Tubes were running in and out of the slender body and they freaked the Soldier out. Guilt, something he was not in any way accustomed to, ran through him. This was because if him and there was no way around it. Purple's eyes twitched and Red kept his gaze steady on the wounded Student, making sure it wasn't his imagination.

"'Dai...?" It was almost too quiet to hear. The violet eyes opened slowly and focused on Red's. Suddenly he convulsed and jerked away, antennae and body shaking. With a yelp of pain he fell out of the bed and alarms sounded. "Leave me alone!" He was hurt and the only logical explanation Purple could come up with was that this Soldier had caused it. Without thinking Red ran to the other side and heaved him up, carefully putting him back in the bed, the alarms stopped.

"Don't do that!" He yelled, panicking Purple further. "No, no, stop," Red said delicately backing away before Purple could throw himself off the bed again. 

"Where am I?" the Student panted. 

"The ship, don't you remember?" An uncertain shake of the head. Now it was embarrassing. "I left to attack the other aliens and you kind of rescued me..." By the expression on the other Irken's face Red assumed it had come flooding back.

"You moron!" Purple yelled with what force he could rally, which was not much, any terror-induced respect or fear he held against Red was gone, replaced with a sense of extreme disapproval. "You, and I, could have been killed..." the energy from before was fading off and now he was exhausted. 

"I know, okay! I came to, um, thank you and say, and say, I'm sorry this happened to you." He stalked away in indignation leaving a very surprised Student. "And tell anybody I said that," he turned around and left it hanging, holding a fist in the air for emphasis, then left.

"That was odd..." Purple reflected quietly and drifted back to sleep before he could dwell on it further.

They left. Planet #37.5 was already being invaded and with their small numbers the Irken invaders had no choice. All the Soldiers were disappointed, they had wanted some action, but, they would live, there were always other planets to conquer and rain doom down upon. Red, though, seemed ready to go. He had become very withdrawn and no one, except for himself and Purple, knew why.

It was a few days before Purple could go back to his room. The Student still ached from his close encounter of the spiky kind and was leaning against the rail that lined every hall on his way.

"No," he groaned as he saw Ien standing against the wall, waiting for him.

"Hello _Student_, have a nice recovery?" The red-eye asked with false sympathy. Purple limped to the other side of the corridor.

"Please Ien, just let me by." He pleaded, if he couldn't get this Soldier to leave him alone it would end in bloody conflict. Ien of course ignored.

"I just wanted to help you, seeing as how you helped me to the other side of the hall last time we met." The last part ended with a sadistic snicker. Purple held a hand in front of himself.

"Look, I'm sorry." The pitiless Irken shook his head.

"No, _I'm _sorry, that just isn't good enough." Before Purple could blink the Soldier was on his side of the hall. With all the glory and prowess of a well-trained fighter he ripped Purple's hand off the rail and kneed him in the gut in one simple movement. Midway during the Student's descent Ien's elbow slammed into the small of the lithe back, forcing him to the floor faster. Confronted by this new pain Purple could do nothing but gasp and curl into a ball to attempt to protect himself.

"Stop..." he moaned. His vision was swimming and he couldn't breath. 

"I don't think I will." Purple braced himself for the next blow but it never came. Instead, Ien's face appeared in front of his own, bloody and missing teeth. Strong hands flipped Purple over and shook him.

"Are you okay?" Purple coughed and nodded in response, looking up at his savior, none other then Red.

"Why?" He croaked out, gulping in oxygen. Red pulled him up with a gloved hand and propped him up against the rail.

"Now we're even. You saved my life and now I saved yours." Purple wiped away the blood trickling from his mouth.

"Thanks." He extended a hand. Red stared at it. "What, afraid of a me?"

"No," he laughed and took the hand, shaking it firmly. "You're pretty brave for a Student."

"Yeah, and you're okay, for a Soldier." 

***End Flashback***

Purple jerked awake, sitting bolt upright with the blankets pooled around his thin waist, it had seemed so real...his body actually ached with imagined injuries. He looked down at the silvery scars threading their way around his sides touching them lightly with a finger. By the time they got back to Irk, Red and Purple's friendship had grown, along with their story. Purple was the bravest Student any of the Soldiers had known. But now, he thought, where has that gotten us. Neither of the Classes had liked the fact that Red _and_ Purple were both Tallests. But, after countless measurements and tests they had both been proven to be the same height and would work well together. They each processed qualities needed for rule, but, only when with one another.

"I wonder if this will ever end." 

"It won't." Purple looked up surprised.

"Where'd you come from? How did you get in here?"

"The coalition has tried to kill _Red_, with no success. Until that happens I don't think this will ever end, at least, not until a compromise, however small, is made." The golden-eyed female was peering through his door.

That was short...still enjoying it so far? I hope so, I think it's almost at an end, but I'm not sure. It will probably end up never ending, eep! Please R&R!


	8. Chapter 8

I wouldn't hurt the other reviewers by not putting up a new chapter Luvwu; it was just to get you to read it! The pointy stick crisis has been abated!

Warning: silk boxers ahead!

Visit my site! Sorry, it's new and I love buttons! And plz, if you do visit, sign my guest book. It is in desperate need of peoples...

Anyone out there draw pictures? If you do send me some! Plz!? I luv pictures! I luv them sooo much! Send them to me, or give me a URL where I might visit them, at Preventer_02@hotmail.com, I demand you! Well, not really but you get the point...onward!

"I asked you a question." Purple said in a low, dangerous tone, gripping the sheets tightly in his long fingers.

"Yes, I know. You asked me two." Replied Nijai and stepped into the room, door closing behind her. "But if you want all this to end, I suggest you listen carefully." The Tallest's eyes narrowed.

"I could call the guards and have you arrested." The tiny female nodded slowly.

"You could, but my organization has taken care of every possible solution and that solution, is an easy one. Another member would just take over. We're all over Irk you know. And before you suggest I be tortured for information, don't, because it won't work."

"I'm listening." Purple breathed with an exasperated sigh. 

"Good. First off, Red is hated. All over the planet." Purple snickered.

"Tell me something I didn't know."

"And all the Students want him gone for various reasons. We messed up once but granted we won't do it again. If I were you I'd advise him to watch his back and step down as Tallest." She smiled wickedly. "Perhaps your little creation could take over for him." Now Purple jumped out of bed, angrier then before.

"You leave Ivy out of this!" Realization dawned in the indigo gaze. "You sent Tegin in here-if he harms-I swear!" He was so mad now he could hardly think let alone speak.

"No, he is keeping her safe and out of the way, for the moment. And I swear; if you harm him, _I_ will kill you both. Personally." She turned to leave. "I have connections all over this building my Tallest. Don't do anything rash." Purple was left dumbstruck as the female technician stepped from the room.

"They could be..." His sentence broke apart and he ran from his room, throwing a purple robe over his lavender silk boxers. (AN: Auugh...) Pictures of blood and a certain dead red-eye filled his head and he ran faster, long strides eating up the distance, soft carpet muffling his steps. Everything turned red and the crimson door was only feet away. Purple hesitated before he stepped into the sensor's range, preparing himself for what he might find. One step, two and the metal slab slid open revealing a messy room.

The purple-eye shuddered openly. Where his room was covered in books and other learning equipment, Red's was covered in a vast array of weapons ranging from small and delicate to huge and deadly. Breathing deeply the Student stepped carefully over the "toys" on the floor, around discarded wrist guards, through ankle-deep trash and eventually to the bedroom door. Unable to contain himself he burst in, running to the bed to see, to his relief, Red still intact and snoring, oblivious to Purple's horror-filled reality safe within the sanctity of his dreams. Purple sank to the floor shaking, leaning against his friend's bed for support.

Over the next few days Red noticed a change in his fellow ruler. He seemed tired and pale, the deep circles under his eyes witness to his lack of sleep. Any attempts to get him to speak were overshadowed by the heavy silence. The Student would only respond to Ivy and her new best friend Tegin who barely ever left her side. There had been no more threats to Red's life but Purple knew that would change if he didn't do something soon.

"Hey Pur?" Red asked from his chair from across the room. The purple-eye was staring out the window overlooking the city, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"Hm?" Was the only reply.

"Is something the matter?" Purple was almost shocked into speaking by this uncharacteristic show of genuine feeling from the battle-hardened Soldier. "Is it me? Did I do something?" The scholar chuckled a little bit and turned to face the other Tallest. 

"No, it's not you, well, almost not you..." The light humor was gone and Red was actually attentive for once. "They're going to kill you Red, eventually they're going to get you...and I, and I don't have a clue as to how I can stop it without you stepping down as Tallest." Purple's shoulders slumped in defeat and he turned back to the window. "I know you probably won't accept but, oh, I don't know anymore."

"I'll do it." Purple almost missed the soft answer to his unasked question.

"What did you say?" The Student asked in disbelief going to stand beside his friend's chair.

"If I don't step down they'll most likely go after Ivy too, right?"

"Most likely, yes." That was all the answer Red needed.

"Then, to protect Vee, I have no choice." He laid a heavy hand on Purple's shoulder. "It was fun while it lasted, Pur. Think up a plan okay? I don't want to hang with the short things for too long." A small smile appeared on his face and he hovered out the room without a backward glance leaving Purple alone in the dark.

What is going on in our favorite Soldier's head these days? Perhaps next time we shall see...

That is the shortest chapter so far! Wow...he stepped down but we all know Red will prevail! He always does...so don't worry peoples; he will be back! Please R&R!


	9. Chapter 9

I guess it's winding down, but there are still quite a few chappies coming up so pleaze enjoy them and send in the reviews...

Oh, and if you hate it you gotta tell me why or else I can't fix the problem! 'Kay? Now go read it!

It would be wrong to say that Red wasn't angry, but he wasn't in one of his blind rages either. He completely trusted his fellow ruler and if Pur felt that he needed to step down as Tallest he would step down. 

Purple would never do anything to hurt him, he was sure of that, but with all the issues that kept coming up with a particular member of the Elite Guard he began to wonder if the Student would get hurt without him around. Ivy too. The more he thought about it the more it annoyed him and the more he feared for his little Vee. True she was getting older but she was still his little Soldier, much to the annoyance of Pur.

"I hope you have a plan Pur..." He murmured, stepping out of his Tallest robe and slipping into a red-stripped shirt and a pair of black pants. Due to his tallness he would become a leader of some high ranking regiment or another down on a lower floor, but that wasn't what he wanted to do. He wanted to be sitting in his room with all his many weapons he'd managed to collect over the years as a superior, eating nachos. But sadly, those days looked over, at least for now.

Purple yawned and paced back and forth nervously. Nijai had said she would meet him to discuss the new laws. It had been a while since the purple-eye had been without a plan and now Ivy-tam and Red's lives hung in the balance. He shuddered to think what would happen if he made a mistake.

He heard the fleeting sound of laughter from outside in the hall and two figures dash by the open doorway. The Tallest grinned as he heard them swing back and turn around again, even allowing himself to chuckle as Ivy ran, laughing, around his legs followed closely by a giggling Tegin trying to tag her.

It had been a while since Ivy-tam had someone to play with, Purple thought with a sigh as their happiness cavorted from his presence. He could only hope that Nijai was as good as her word and wouldn't harm Ivy. Heavily he sat down and held his chin in his fingers. A familiar yet hated voice pricked up his antennae, the sharp click of her boots bringing it forward. Deep inside it stirred up anger and hatred. But a new maddening desire overtook the usually calm Student and the foreign emotion confused him, he didn't know how to control it.

"I'm glad you honored our agreement." Purple sneered at her comment, not looking up.

"Don't speak to me about honor." His bitter tone surprised her. "As soon as I figure out what to do with your _coalition_ you'll know honor." His head snapped up. "Honor as I help Red slit every one of you from boot tip to antennae!" Amethyst eyes clouded with wine-red anger as he looked down at the focus of his lunacy through deadly slits.

"I see..." Nijai muttered through clenched teeth. "I was clearly wrong then, to think that you could make a difference in our broken society. You of all Irkens should know how we've been treated. Or have you forgotten so quickly?" Her voice rose with every passing word. "Have you forgotten the beatings? The hurt, the pain, the torment? The sorrow of watching your friends and own students die for nothing?" She spat out the last words with malevolence. "I haven't. So tell me, oh Almighty One, who, you or I, know the true meaning of honor? What would happen to you if _Red _suddenly struck Ivy to the ground? Or, or fired on either one of you? What would you do?" Her words, balancing on the knife-edge of hysterical, evened and became soft, bitter loathing tainting her saccharine lexis. "What did you do?" The anger faded from Purple's eyes leaving them their original crystal violet.

"He killed your student?" He asked quietly.

"My friend's student and mine." She answered, equally soft, staring at the plush floor. "Her name was Sahkim."

"I...I had no idea..." He watched helplessly as tears began to trickle down the strong female's face to drip onto the deep navy carpet. 

"She wanted to be the best." Nijai swallowed hard, looking up at her Tallest with watery eyes. "We didn't even get the chance to give her, her name."

"I'm sorry, I never knew..." Purple didn't know what to say to the distraught Irken in front of him. Should he comfort her? Leave her alone? Kick her out? He didn't know and his arms hung at his sides. Gradually her tears stopped and she blushed dark green with embarrassment. 

"I'm sorry, you have a student, you wouldn't begin to think of life without her."

"It hurts to think like that." He admitted slowly. "Why don't we postpone this little venture until tomorrow? I have some things to take care of." Namely Red, he added to himself silently. "Keep your rebels in check, they haven't done anything else and I'd like to keep it that way." He found himself coming to like the small female in front of him despite his attempts not to. Her causes were noble ones and he could condemn no one for the want to protect their Class, it was more then he had ever done in his position of power...

Red looked up when he heard the familiar sound of a humming hover belt stop a few inches from his chair. The now CO of one of the more powerful military arms had been napping away from all the bustle and excitement over a new shipment of enhanced firearms: a wide beam laser.

"Hey Pur, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" The Soldier asked cheerily, standing up and stretching, gasping when Purple's thin hand grabbed him firmly about the neck, shoving him into the metal wall a foot above the floor.

"When did you do it?" He asked icily, the unfamiliar feeling gripping him again and causing his eyes to film with red. The action caught Red by surprise and he was speechless-for about two seconds.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" He yelled, pulling at the firm hand.

"When did you do it, Red?" The Soldier succeeded in prying off the iron grip and fell back to the floor.

"What? When did I do what?" Purple's attitude was seriously beginning to freak him out; he had never seen him like this before. Clenched fists were shaking with barely suppressed rage, his eyes were glazed over and tinted red, everything about his body posture screamed "Soldier".

"When did you _slaughter _them? When, damn it!? Why didn't I know!?" By now their 'conversation' had attracted hundreds of gawkers, each one wondering what had happened to the levelheaded Tallest.

"I, I don't know what you're talking about Pur, really." Red wondered if Purple was mad enough to kill him yet. By Irken law the Soldier wasn't allowed to retaliate if he did try.

"Technician complex? Ring any bells?" Red searched his memory for technician centered events.

"They were thought to be members of, of the coalition Pur." He stood up, antennae laid back in submission; Purple suddenly seemed a lot taller.

"When?" The scholar hissed through clenched teeth.

"Years ago, when you were sick?" Red suggested. That memory hung in Red's mind as clear as if it had happened earlier that day, Purple had almost died and no one had been able to figure out why. The Student turned away, disgust lining his voice and giving it an edge that made Red wince.

"How could you do that? You...killed...them on a hunch?" His shoulders slumped and he turned back to face the fuel of his madness. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Pur...I..." Red didn't finish, couldn't finish because of the deadly truth that would have been hidden beneath his lie...he had.

Hmm, is it just me or is Pur going nuts?

Lessee, I sense a big war comin' up...with lots an' lots -o- death...anyone else see that?

Wow, I just keep writin' 'em shorter ne? Well, I hope you all still enjoy it 'cause I still love the writy part! ^^ Plz review, they make me so happy!


	10. Chapter 10

Look! Happy news! I went to NYSSMA on May 3rd, for a level five alto sax solo, which is pretty high-there are only six levels, and I got a 96 out of 100! Yay for me! ^^ 

For those of you poor peoples out there that may be un-musical, NYSSMA is a music competition in which you compete against yourself for a high score, be musical! It's fun!

NEways...enough about me...

I haven't been thanking any of you wonderful reviewers for all of your reviews, *sniff* I've been so rude, and I would like to take the time to do that now...Domo arigatou minna-chan! Thank you very much everybody! They all make me so happy and I hope to get many more...hopefully no flames for what I'm going to do towards the end...^^v Read on!

"So quickly the tides have turned..." Purple murmured quietly staring around him at his many belongings-none of which mattered to him anymore. Inside he was torn, his soul mangled to a thousand unrecognizable pieces. On one hand there was Red, an almost lifetime friend, and on the other...there was a band of vigilante Students he had never met before, all pulling for the same noble thing.

"Pur?" A soft voice in the doorway made his antennae prick forward, but he didn't answer. He heard quiet footsteps and felt a hand touch his shoulder but still he didn't turn around. "Pur, is everything okay?" His head dropped a few inches to hit his chest. 

"Ivy-tam...Red and I...we..." he didn't have the heart to tell her. "You aren't going to be seeing Red for a while..." The scholar turned to face his student, eyes misted with tears.

"Why?" She asked innocently, looking up with her head cocked to one side silently wondering about the tears.

"It doesn't matter...but what does matter is this: under no circumstances are you to go outside. Is that clear? No matter what." Purple had a grim feeling that Ivy would not be safe if she ventured out of the complex alone.

"Yes, but why?" He patted her on the head, gently touching her antennae and watching how she melted under the contact.

"Don't worry about it, okay Ivy-tam? Now where's Tegin? Shouldn't he be with you?" She grinned.

"We're playing hide and seek and I thought he might be in here!"

"Well, go and have fun...I'll, I'll see you later 'kay?" Ivy hugged him around the waist tightly.

"'Kay Pur," she turned to leave, but stopped and called back over her shoulder hoping to cheer up her troubled teacher. "I love you, Pur!" A small smile graced his lips as he whispered softly to her receding form:

"I love you too, Ivy-tam..."

"Argh!" Red yelled loudly throwing a table covered in lasers across the room. "How can he do this!?" More heavy objects went flying and the many Soldiers under his command leapt out of the way to avoid injury. 

Their previous Tallest had received a message from the other regarding Student rights: none, apparently, of which Red agreed on. The Soldier had never been too keen on any of them but because he was no longer Tallest he no longer had any say.

"Um, Sir...we have the wide beam lasers for your inspection, Sir." A short red-eye quietly told his CO hoping not to become skewered on the sharp end of the bati staff Red now held expertly in his gloved hands. He leaned down close making the smaller one tremble.

"Thanks Soldier." He patted him on the head and walked away to the equipping station. "Get everyone into the briefing hall, and tell them to gear up-this is war."

"Nijai...is all this really necessary?" Ju-Tian paced back and forth. "What if you're caught? What will happen to Tegin?"

"Nothing Ju, nothing, I'm careful." She gripped his hands in hers. "Red won't figure out who wrote it, I promise."

"But, what if..."

"No ifs, Ju. Nothing will happen, if anything this will make it better for him." The teal eyes narrowed and Ju-Tian drew back.

"It's war, Nijai." She pulled him back, forcing him to look into her golden stare.

"If that's what it takes." She sighed softly. "We will win."

"I still-" Before he could answer Nijai pressed her mouth to his, sealing it in a gentle kiss.

Purple held the small projector in the palm of his un-gauntleted hand and watched with growing horror as the picture and message unfolded. Red stood in the foreground with hundreds of Soldiers milling behind him, preparing for what looked to Purple, like a war. Red's voice, bold and strong as ever, drifted from the speaker.

"Hello, _Tallest _Purple." Sarcasm dripped from the words like blood from an open wound and the Soldier gestured behind him. "This is my army and this," he paused and held up a thin, electronic notepad, "is a Declaration of War. Get your Students together, Pur, this will be an event not soon forgotten."

Purple's mouth dropped open in shock and the fragile machinery fell from his hand to shatter on the floor. He couldn't believe what was happening, his entire world was falling apart and he was powerless to stop it.

*AN: I considered stopping there but I'm in a good mood so I'll continue...at least little farther, ah, feel my power? ^^ Anybody out there hate Nijai yet? *

There was no getting through to him. Once Red made a decision it was final and he never went back on his word if war was involved. Try as he might Purple couldn't get Red to listen to him, let alone talk this through...if anyone was close to a mental break down it was the Student Tallest.

"My Tallest Sir? May I come in?" A small head peered around the intricate purple framework of the scholar's door.

"Sure..." The young pastel blue-eye took a hesitant step forward and handed a file to Purple, kneeling at his feet. "Go ahead and stand, you needn't to be that formal, it's only a report file." Purple muttered, sifting through the information in his hands.

"It is a status report on the weapons you requested Sir. They should all be there and accounted for, my Tallest." He bowed his head. "They are ready and fully functional, ready to be given to those under your command Sir...yours will be in your personal quarters as soon as you give the order."

"How many Students responded to this?"

"At least enough to create a small task force to guard the complex and a large army to defend against the Soldiers-they have moved their center of operations to the mid-city, Sir." Purple handed back the report.

"And they all have at least some combat experience?" The pale eyed one nodded. "Good, now get somewhere safe; you are too young to be involved with this, this brutality. Stay in the complex or go to the outer limits of the city."

"But my Almighty Tallest Sir! I want to fight with you! I want to fight for Student rights as well! Don't send me away!" He looked up hopefully.

"No, take anyone not involved in this with you. That's an order." Tipping his antennae in a reluctant salute the young one turned and walked stiffly out leaving Purple alone to reflect on his battle plans. Red was the war expert, Purple was just the tactician and was at a major disadvantage.

Red quietly walked up and down the ranks of his army expecting and scrutinizing every available disability that could be fixed and eliminating all that could not.

"Are we ready?" He finally shouted. Hundreds of fists raised in unison as the acutely trained warriors screamed out an affirmative. "Do you all know why we are here today?" Again a massive confirmation. "Well, what are we waiting for? We march on the complex! Let's go!" The thousand or so Irken Soldiers marched in time out of the abandoned factory they had been equipped in and into the empty streets, ready to rain destruction down upon the doomed heads of their Irken brothers and sisters. The time of slaughter was about to begin.

Another chapter bites the dust! It was a tad longer this time and I hope you'll all stick with it to the end! Thanks in advance for reviewing!


	11. Chapter 11

Well, I shall not bore you up here any longer! Read on and I thank you in advance for the reviews! ^^ This chapter will probably be a little boring but the next one will be better...considering your point of view...*sniff*...

This was it. The battle to decide all battles, the shortest war ever in Irken history was to be fought there, on Planet Irk itself. Purple feared this day, this day of reckoning, and wanted it to end. It was hard enough keeping it from Ivy but when he had to keep it from two prying students it was damn near impossible. He finally had them contained in the top floor of the complex with the large expanse of windows set to opaque on voice command, only Purple had the authority to return them to their normal state. This little escapade was to take place right outside the complex on the huge launching pad. It was the only place big enough to accommodate the large numbers.

The coalition was placing their best warriors in this little venture; Purple, Ju-Tian and Nijai would lead them. Other Students from all over Irk were massing on the pad already, it would not be long now.

Purple slipped on his extra protective armor, he didn't have the battle experience yet and was apprehensive of the whole thing, as any Student should be. They would all be equipped with simple weapons: knives for hand to hand combat as well as a blade launcher that attached to the wrist for long range damage. The Soldiers, obviously if under the command of Red, would be using lasers. Simple and deadly the new wide beam model could devastate the Student forces in minutes so, in accordance, Purple had supplied everybody with deflector shield power-ups for their back pods. He wanted the death toll to be minimal and prayed to the Mother of Irk that this would be over soon, the scholar missed Red terribly even though they were supposed to be enemies. The panicky Student had given himself Red's weapon of choice: the bati staff. He had been training with the Soldier and could use it fairly well, not well enough to best the master in combat but anyone else would be easily dealt with. It would be magnetically attached to his back pod until he needed it, that way he couldn't hurt himself accidentally. Purple knew Red would do the same for that's where he got it.

"Now it ends." Purple sighed and stepped out into the light of the Irken sun. The sea of multicolored eyes glistened in the rays while everyone raised their fists in unison, saluting their leader. Ju-Tian and Nijai took their places at his side.

"Tegin and Ivy are safe?" Ju-Tian asked quietly, voice suggesting that he hated it as much as the Tallest himself. 

"Yes, I put them up in my quarters; the windows are opaque so that they may not see any of which goes on this day." Ju showed his satisfaction with a nod and then walked off to disappear in the ranks.

"What a glorious battle this will be." Nijai murmured gleefully, checking her wrist launcher and smiling crookedly. (AN: Anyone watch Gundam Wing? Think Dorothy Catalonia if you do...*shudder*) Purple trembled inwardly at the chill feeling of hate.

"Here they come!" Someone shouted referring to the silent group of trained killers cresting the hill overlooking the launch pad. Everything was silent for a moment. Students and Soldiers stared at each other for a few tense seconds. Then suddenly everything started. Red and Purple stared at one another then the Soldier raised one hand in the air and pointed to the Student masses.

"Mother of Irk, save us from ourselves, please." Purple whispered in quiet prayer as he struck down his first of many Soldiers. 

How quickly their world of seemed peace had gone to chaos. Already the dead and dying littered the launching pad, screams of pain and terror from Students and Soldiers alike mingled in Purple's antennae. Even the reinforced armor couldn't protect him, or Red, from everything. What his deflector missed and his armor couldn't stop stung into him like a thousand knives. Blood streamed from both the Tallests, only their size keeping them alive, too big to be killed in one shot. Purple kept an eye on Red and Red did the same looking for the opportunity to strike or call out a challenge. Then the world seemed to stop for them both, starting again almost as fast. Ivy and Tegin had both stepped from the building to stand, unprotected, in the middle of the bedlam. Red was about to order her back into the complex but was deterred by a band of Students. His fears were put to rest though when he noticed Purple run to her. At least he was still good for something.

Ivy and Tegin both stopped short when the fighting from outside caught their attention. Getting away from the guards upstairs had proved to be no problem and getting out of the room even easier. No understanding what was going on outside Ivy snatched an extra wrist launcher from a nearby table and clipped it to her wrist. Whatever was happening, she thought, at least they would be prepared.

Her still-young mind dreamed up fantasies. To her knowledge Purple and Red were still friends, she wasn't aware of what exactly had gone on between them. Maybe, she thought with a smile, they were fighting some monster and needed help! Then she and Tegin could rush out in the midst of the battle and save the whole planet from certain doom! Deciding that that's all it could possibly be she stepped up to the sliding doors gasping in horror at the sight before her. They were fighting a monster, she decided, one that lived within themselves.

'Twas short, I know, but never fear! The last chapter before the epilogue is on the way! Brace yourselves peoples!


	12. Chapter 12

*Sniff* Break out the tissues people, well, maybe not, but you still might want to anyway: just for fun of course. I myself like making little animals-gomen; I'm digressing...

READ ON! AND DON"T FORGET TO REVIEW!

"Ivy!" What are you doing!?" Purple stared frantically as his student stepped hesitantly out of the complex, right into the middle of the war. Tegin was not far behind, his orange eyes wide with fright at the horrors they now showed him. Purple noticed that on her wrist, just like he battling, wounded and dead Students that covered the landing pad, was a launcher. "Get back inside!" He paused to block and stab a Soldier, effectively killing the shorter one. He fought his way over to her, blood streaming from various wounds where the Soldiers' lasers had cut through his armor.

"Pur..." she whispered, stuck to the spot and cowering in terror. "I wanted to...I wanted to help you guys...but..." she looked around her, Tegin following her gaze. It was hard to tell who was Student and who was Soldier-even the color of their eyes was hard to tell, everything looked grey to her. "Why are you and Red doing this...?" Her voice sounded small and afraid, like it had when she'd been young. Purple turned and ushered then close to the building, out of immediate danger.

"I'm not sure...I don't know why all this is happening...but you must stay inside." He softened under her fearful gaze and smiled, stroking her antennae. "Ivy-tam, everything will be all right, I promise." He winced as the blistering heat of a laser beam cut into his side.

"Pur!" Ivy screamed and Tegin whimpered ad the Student smiled bravely against the pain.

"I'm all right, now both of you get back inside." With one last, fleeting look he bounded through the melee, out of sight but not out of mind.

"I'm scared, Tegin." The young technician could only agree.

"Purple!" Red's cold voice cut above the raging battle, shrill and high with the adrenaline rush of war. "Come and face me like the Student you are!" He gripped the bati staff and wrenched it from his back pod's grip, clenching it in his grip as if it were a lifeline.

"Red, please, we have to stop this!" Purple shouted to the crazed figure. Red would have none of it.

"I thought this is what you wanted." He sneered as the Student Tallest carefully made his way over to him leaving behind his a wake of the dead and dying.

"No, I never wanted this."

"Well, there is only one way to end this, with my life or yours!" On the last word he lunged towards the scholar, slashing the air where he had stood only a second before. The Soldier kept up the relentless attack, barely giving Purple time to breathe before he slashed again and again. Each time Purple blocked, but only just barely in time, with his staff, the blades clashing and sending up sparks to rain down around them like a multicolored rain. Finally Red stepped back, breathing hard but otherwise unharmed. Purple kept up his guard, unwilling to give Red the chance to strike.

With his slim heaving and sweat dripping down his neck the Student used one antenna to "look" around him. It could pick up the movement of a million bodies most of which were screaming in pain or not really moving at all. Purple was scared, terrified, he knew that he had not the slightest chance of beating the Soldier in a one on one duel...and Red knew it.

Ivy could only watch in terror as her teacher and protector raged against each other. Her mind screamed out for it to stop but her body could do nothing. She was frozen to the spot and could barely hear Tegin's desperate pleas to get her back inside to the safety of the complex.

"Come on Ivy, we got to get inside!" He tugged frantically at her robes. "Please come-" he cut off with a gasp as a blade whizzed by her head, barely missing her slender neck. Ivy jerked back responding in blind fear to hit the release button of the launcher and send a deadly missile hurtling towards an unaware target. Tegin and Nijai both screamed as Ju-Tian's lifeless body fell to the bloodied concrete below, the Soldier he had been defending himself against from grinning madly and bowing to Ivy.

"No, no, no," she murmured, aghast at what she had just done. "It was an accident." Tegin sobbed into Ivy's skirts gripping them as hard as he could, body racked with loud cries.

"Please, Ivy let's just go back inside..." he begged brokenly, tears cascading down his slender cheeks. "...please..."

"What...have I done...?" Tears were beginning to form in her emerald eyes, threatening to spill over. A battle cry echoed over the field and suddenly everything was in slow motion. Tegin saw Nijai take careful aim, screaming as tears of rage and sorrow streamed down her face. He saw as, very slowly, the deadly blade was released from its holding place and tore through the air towards Ivy. The young green-eye had less then a second to scream as she closed her eyes and awaited her fate. But the tearing pain she expected never came. Instead she heard a strangled cry and a soft thump a Tegin's small body slumped to the ground. Everything was normal again; Tegin had taken the blade.

"Tegin!" Nijai shouted, sprinting over to her beloved student. "No!" Ivy knelt by his side, holding his slender hand. Nijai soon joined her and they hugged him together.

"Don't...worry..." he whispered quietly, "I'm...okay..." he coughed, blood trickling down his chin, and smiled faintly, orange eyes brimming with fresh tears. Ivy made to pull the blade from where it rested in the slender chest but he screamed and begged her to stop.

"No, don't remove it." Nijai whispered as Tegin's rosy blood covered her hands. "It's all that's keeping him from bleeding out..." more tears dripped onto his student uniform as his head fell backwards into Ivy's arms. He was unconscious. "I'll take him inside..." her limbs shook as she picked up her injured student, carrying to the safety of the complex while Ivy watched her surrogate teachers battle.

"Please, Red!" The terrified Student was gasping as he blocked attack after attack while his previous friend cut the air in a vicious attempt to kill the object of his rage. Suddenly Red brought the bati staff down low, bladed tip lying perpendicular to the ground, and paused. Still unwilling to let up Purple took this perceived advantage and struck, only to be blocked by the swift movement of the rising weapon. Purple's scream rent the air as the sharp metal dug into his side, running up his body to stop at his shoulder. With one bloody hand holding the torn strips of muscle and tissue together he made another weak attack and was blocked almost mindlessly by his ruthless opponent. "...please...Red..." his breath was coming in short pants and he brushed aside any attempt by his back pod to restore his flesh not wanting to give Red the advantage of fighting a healing Student.

"You dare ask me for mercy!?" The Soldier slashed again slicing Purple's arm and causing the gravely wounded Irken to drop his staff, kneeling on the ground whimpering in pain and fear. He didn't want to die like this and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

"...Red..." he gasped, choking on his own blood welling up into his throat and closing his dull violet eyes awaiting the final blow. He couldn't hear anything as the blade swung down on his unprotected back severing his back pod and spine in half but not quite cutting through the rest of him. "...Ivy-tam..." Purple couldn't move his body anymore and all the pain was gone. He could feel his life seeping away and the vague sensation in his arms of being held.

Ivy-tam. The word echoed through Red's mentality and he dropped the staff, staring for the first time at what he had done.

"No..." he whispered, kneeling beside the dying Student. "Pur..." he gathered the scholar in his lap accessing the damage with a Soldier's accuracy. Purple would die.

"Pur!" A choked cry sifted to his antennae and he noticed that the fighting had stopped. Every Irken was looking at them.

"You," he ordered shortly, pointing at a random Soldier. "Take care of Ivy, now!" The younger one tipped his antenna in salute and ran through the carnage while Red took a good look around him. Students and Soldiers alike were supporting others, class distinction forgotten for the moment. All were staring at their dying Tallest, tears gleaming in the eyes of some. "Purple, I'm so sorry..." The Student could only open his eyes at the soft-spoken words. Weak fingers gripped the crimson armor as tight as they could.

"Please...take care...of...Ivy...tam...for...me..." he begged in short gasps. Purple's body shuddered in Red's arms as more blood cascaded to the ground below, spreading in a silvery-rose puddle.

"I will..." Red promised as Purple closed his eyes with a small smile. His slender chest heaved with one last breath and was still.

"Re...ac...ti...vate..." The shattered purple and grey back pod of the dead Irken sparked blue for a moment deactivating as it's power cells faded.

"Don't so that again, Pur..." Red whispered into the silence. "...it hurts..."

So, how was that? Please, leave your flames at the door I will use them the cook the hotdogs at my celebration for the end of this fic. The epilog will be up ASAP! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!

Purple: I died!? That is not fair...

Red: *Munching on nachos* it was for the good of the species.

Angry Purple lovers: Die Red! Die KuroiAzarashi! Argh!

KA/Red: AHHHHHHHHHH!


	13. Epilogue

It's been fun everyone but I'm afraid that this is the epilogue...*sniff* I hope you all have enjoyed it and don't hate me too much for killing Pur.

Domo arigatou minna-chan for all your support throughout this.

Well, read on and enjoy for this, my friends, is the end...

Deep in space the huge Irken vessel carried it's sorrowful burden through the stars, the planets and asteroids the only witnesses of what went on within. Secrets revealed only to have them drift back into the sands of time left only to forgotten stories and mindless gossip.

Red sat alone in the darkness on board the Massive kept company only by the near silence of the engines and an aching sadness filling the emptiness that surrounded his very being, the only light glinting off the metal in his hand. He knew now what it meant to lose your best friend but wondered if Purple had known what it felt when it was by your own hand...

He hadn't attended the burial, didn't want to be reminded over and over again of what he had done. He had even resigned from the Irken military and beseeched Ivy to continue her studies without her absent teacher. The young green-eye didn't hate him as Red feared she would but was silent all the same. She and Tegin would spend hours in their rooms merely talking about their respective teachers, missing them together and hating the war that had taken them away.

"Mother of Irk..." Red sniffed quietly, holding back tears as the last sounds of Irken life vanished from the ship. Now he was truly alone, left to ponder his guilty feelings in the sanctity, and silence, of his rooms.

His rooms. They were now covered in violet trappings instead of crimson ones to honor the dead Tallest but Red knew that they only hung there to remind him, to make sure he didn't forget the horrible deed he had committed. 

Over and over again the scene replayed itself in his broken mind. Ivy's screams, Purple's ragged breaths and the pathetic sound of a shattered back pod doing it's futile best to revive it's owner. And the blood...so much of Purple's blood had stained his hands-sill tainted them with its rosy hue. Red held them up in front of his face to look at them in the dark, imagining the life dripping from his fingers.

"What have I done...?" He murmured brokenly into the heavy black surrounding him. "Mother of Irk, what have I done!?" He hung his head as silent tears coursed down his face and dripped off his chin to trickle down the armored plates into his lap. Red stopped abruptly and touched the shining trails on the hard metal sheets, they couldn't protect him from himself. Angrily he wiped them away, Soldiers don't cry or show emotions, he told himself and dropped his hand as well as the blade it held to the floor. But, in the voiceless obscurity of his shattered mind, he had to wonder if murderers did.

The very end I leave to you, his fate is in your hands.

If anyone would like a sequel, by all means, let me know! I'd be happy to do one! ^^


End file.
